Ercoupe 415 accident near Whitehall, Montana, July 9, 2010
On July 9, 2010 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Ercoupe 415, registered N87349, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Whitehall, Montana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 2010 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Whitehall, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe 415 D · all 415s on the register
- Registration
- N87349 · registry record · serial 522
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed for a local flight with all three fuel tanks full. After 30 minutes into the flight, he was returning for landing when the engine lost power. He made a forced landing in a field; the nose gear collapsed and the firewall sustained substantial damage. A postaccident examination revealed that fuel was in the gascolator and carburetor. No anomalies were observed that would have precluded normal operation of the engine.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing (landing roll)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 264 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 187 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 6, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2010; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental Mortors C75 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Whitehall MT at 8:30 pm
- Destination: Whitehall MT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 109°F (43°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KBIL, 52 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N87349 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.