On April 21, 2007, an Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415-C (registration N99811) was involved in an aviation accident near Brighton, MI. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot's failure to maintain proper glidepath to the runway. Contributing factors to the accident included the passenger vehicle, the rising embankment, and the airport perimeter fence. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A student pilot reported a downdraft/wind shear on final approach to runway 22, causing the airplane to strike a vehicle antenna, an embankment, and a fence before coming to rest short of the threshold.
Accident Details
A student pilot was operating an airplane as a light-sport pilot on a final approach to runway 22 at an airport with a 3,120-foot by 24-foot asphalt runway. The pilot stated that the airplane "was caught in a downdraft/wind shear and was not able to clear perimeter fence, even with application of full power."
Terrain and Weather Factors
The pilot reported a small valley to the northeast of the airport which "probably caused the downdraft." A local weather reporting station indicated that the winds were from 260 degrees magnetic at 4 knots at the time of the accident.
Sequence of Events
An on-scene investigation revealed that the airplane first impacted the radio-antenna of a passenger vehicle operating on the road adjacent to the airport. Subsequently, the airplane struck a rising embankment and proceeded through the airport perimeter fence, coming to rest short of the approach threshold.
Pilot Documentation
The student pilot was flying with an expired 90-day solo endorsement and did not have a medical certificate at the time of the accident.