No fatalities

Aircraft Overran Intended Landing Point and Sustained Wing Damage

Whitehall, MT, United States

On February 4, 2009, an Ercoupe 415D operated by Michael Harrison was involved in an aviation accident near Whitehall, MT. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point and his failure to abort the landing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 13 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-09-03Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot touched down beyond the intended point, bounced, and landed again. During the roll, he turned hard right to avoid obstacles, causing the left wing to strike the ground and sustain substantial damage.

Incident Overview and Sequence of Events During the landing approach, the pilot touched down beyond the point of intended landing. The aircraft subsequently bounced, prompting the pilot to add power and regain level flight. After reducing power, the pilot executed a second landing. As the aircraft was rolling on the runway, the pilot applied the brakes and determined that the landing roll would exceed the remaining available runway length. To avoid a fence and a ditch, the pilot turned hard to the right. During this maneuver, the left wing contacted the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft.

Contributing factors

Landing distance — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 4 Feb 2009 Ercoupe 415D accident near Whitehall, MT?

A pilot touched down beyond the intended point, bounced, and landed again. During the roll, he turned hard right to avoid obstacles, causing the left wing to strike the ground and sustain substantial damage.

Were there any fatalities in the 4 Feb 2009 Ercoupe 415D accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 4 Feb 2009 involved an Ercoupe 415D, operated by Michael Harrison, at Whitehall, MT.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point and his failure to abort the landing.