Accident Overview
On July 2, 2025, at approximately 1300 central daylight time, an Ercoupe 415-C, registration N93985, sustained substantial damage in an accident near Gallatin, Tennessee. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, received fatal injuries. The airplane was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 positioning flight.
Flight History
The airplane had been purchased by its owner several weeks prior to the accident. A pilot was hired to fly the aircraft from Spirit of St Louis Airport (SUS) in St. Louis, Missouri, to the owner's home base at Western Carolina Regional Airport (RHP) in Andrews, North Carolina. On the accident day, the pilot first flew to Washington Regional Airport (FYG) in Washington, Missouri, to perform three touch-and-go landings, as he had no experience in the Ercoupe. After those landings, he flew to Hopkinsville-Christian County Airport (HVC) in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, for fuel. The pilot topped off the fuel tanks, but the engine would not start due to a dead battery. He contacted the owner, reporting an electrical issue and expressing discomfort with flying over mountains; he planned to divert to Cleveland Regional Jetport (RZR) in Cleveland, Tennessee. Someone then hand-propped the engine to start it.
About 20 minutes after departing HVC, the pilot contacted air traffic control, stating that the engine was losing rpm and requesting radar vectors to the nearest airport. The controller advised that he was 7 miles from an airport, but the pilot responded that the airplane could not reach it and that he was preparing for an off-airport landing. No further communications were received.
Wreckage Examination
The wreckage was located in a wooded area, oriented on a magnetic heading of 360°. The accident site was compact, with all major components accounted for. The engine and instrument panel had fractured off at the main spar and were found beneath the fuselage. The fuselage was wedged between two trees, resting on the engine and instrument panel. The front section of the airplane, from the firewall forward—including the instrument panel, fuel tank, and control yokes—had fractured from the main spar but remained attached by electrical wires, holding the airplane about 5 feet off the ground. The header fuel tank was breached; about 4 gallons of fuel were removed. Examination of the fuel line to the carburetor revealed that the fuel shutoff valve was partially closed. When removed, the valve was observed to be about 80% closed.
Cable and torque tube continuity was established for all primary flight controls. The aileron hinge connections were impact-fractured. The left wing remained attached; its leading edge bore tree impression marks along its entire length, and the last 2 feet were bent upward from tree contact. The left aileron remained attached, and the left main landing gear was intact. The left-wing fuel tank was intact with about 4 gallons of fuel, but its fuel line was fractured near the B-nut. The right wing also remained attached, with a tree impression about 1 foot from the wing tip and torn fabric in several places. Its fuel tank was intact with about 4 gallons, and the fuel line was similarly fractured. The right main landing gear was intact.
The tail section was bent sideways just forward of the rudder and elevator. The left rudder was bent in half; the right rudder and the elevator remained intact. Both wood propeller blades were fractured midspan.
Post-Accident Engine Run
The engine was intact and undamaged. It was removed along with the instrument panel and strapped to a trailer. A temporary fuel line was plumbed to the carburetor, and a battery was connected. The master switch was turned on, and power was applied. The magnetos were engaged with the key, and the push-button start switch was used. Starter fluid was needed because the primer line was damaged. The engine started and ran at idle for several seconds before being shut down; a full-power run was not attempted due to the cut propeller and the engine being strapped. No anomalies were noted that would have precluded normal operation.
A review of the maintenance logbook showed that the most recent annual inspection was completed on October 8, 2024, at which time the airframe had 1,575 total hours and the engine had 79 hours since major overhaul.