What happened
On July 2, 2025, at approximately 1300 central daylight time, an Ercoupe 415-C, registration N93985, was involved in an accident near Gallatin, Tennessee. The flight was being operated as a Part 91 positioning flight.
The pilot had been tasked with flying the aircraft from St. Louis, Missouri, to Andrews, North Carolina. Earlier in the flight, the pilot performed touch-and-go landings at Washington Regional Airport (FYG) to gain experience with the type. After stopping at Hopkinsville-Christian County Airport (HVC) for fuel, the pilot encountered a dead battery. To continue the flight toward Cleveland, Tennessee, the pilot used hand-propping to start the engine.
Approximately 20 minutes after departing HVC, the pilot contacted air traffic control to report that the engine was losing RPM and requested radar vectors to the nearest airport. The controller informed the pilot that an airport was 7 miles away. The pilot stated the aircraft could not reach that location and was preparing for an off-airport landing. No further communications were received.
The accident resulted in 1 fatality.
The investigation
The wreckage was located in a wooded area, oriented on a magnetic heading of 360°. The impact site was compact, and all major components were accounted for. The fuselage was wedged between two trees, resting on the engine and instrument panel, which had fractured off at the main spar. The entire front section of the aircraft from the firewall forward, including the fuel tank and control yokes, separated from the main spar and remained attached to the fuselage only by electrical wires.
Examination of the aircraft revealed the following:
- The header fuel tank was breached, though approximately 4 gallons of fuel remained.
- The fuel shut-off valve to the carburetor was found to be 80% closed.
- The left wing showed tree impression marks along the entire leading edge, and the left aileron hinge connections were impact fractured.
- The right wing leading edge had a tree impression mark, and the wing fabric was torn in several places.
- Both wooden propeller blades were fractured midspan.
- The engine itself was found to be intact and undamaged; testing showed the engine could start and run at idle.
- Maintenance records indicated the most recent annual inspection was completed on October 8, 2024.