On July 2, 1982, an Ercoupe 415-C (registration N99481) operated by Byron O. Bousha was involved in an aviation accident near Wamsutter, WY. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot became sick during a flight and elected to land on a highway. After spacing behind a truck, the truck slowed, forcing a landing beside the highway. Nosewheel struck a ditch, collapsed, and the aircraft nosed over.
Incident Overview
During a flight, the pilot became sick and decided to land on a highway. The pilot took spacing behind a truck, but the truck then slowed down. Consequently, the pilot continued the landing beside the highway instead of on the road.
Sequence of Events
After lowering the nosewheel, it struck a ditch. The impact caused the nosewheel to collapse, and the aircraft nosed over. Following the accident, the pilot received medical checks. The attending physicians informed the pilot that all tests were either negative or inconclusive. The pilot suspected that the illness may have been caused by hyperventilation.