No fatalities

10 Aug 2013: ERCOUPE 415-C — Mackinac Island, MI

Mackinac Island, MI, United States

On 10 Aug 2013, an ERCOUPE 415-C was involved in an aviation accident near Mackinac Island, MI. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while on final approach. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During final approach to Runway 27, the airplane suddenly pitched nose-down, causing the left wing to scrape the runway before skidding off the left side. Damage to the left wing spar was reported.

Incident Overview

A pilot reported that a cross-country flight was uneventful until the final approach portion of the landing to Runway 27. The pilot stated that the final approach was flown at the normal airspeed for the airplane. As the approach progressed, the pilot recounted that the next thing she knew, the airplane was on its nose and the left wing scraped the runway. The airplane then righted itself and skidded off the left side of the runway.

Damage

The accident resulted in damage to the left wing spar.

Weather and Wind Conditions

The pilot noted that the winds were from the west. Local pilots informed her that winds from the west can create a swirl as they move up the runway. The reported winds around the time of the accident were from 240 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 16 knots.

Contributing factors

Causes

PilotPerformance/control parameters — Not attained/maintained

Other contributing factors

Effect on equipment