Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415D accident near Los Lunas, NM
On May 25, 2003, an Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415D (airplane) was involved in an accident near Los Lunas, NM. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- May 25, 2003
- Place
- Los Lunas, NM
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) 415D · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 34.752°N, 106.736°W
- NTSB ID
- 20030603X00775
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On May 25, 2003, at 1448 mountain daylight time, an Ercoupe (Engineering and Research Corporation, or ERCO) 415D, N93971, was destroyed when it struck power lines and impacted terrain 1/2-half mile west of Mid-Valley Airpark (E98), Los Lunas, New Mexico. The private pilot and his passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal cross-country flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Artesia, New Mexico, at 1245. The pilot and his passenger arrived at Artesia on May 24 and, according to the lineman, "the main wing tanks were filled to within 1/2-half inch of the top." The pilot and passenger were present during the refueling operation, and made no mention of filling the fuselage fuel tank. The lineman said he was unaware that a fuselage fuel tank existed. According to the fuel receipt, the airplane was serviced at 1608 with 13.3 gallons of 100LL fuel. The lineman said that airplane departed Artesia on May 25 at 1245. According to the owner of Rio Grande Aero, a repair facility at Mid-Valley Airpark, the airplane passed over the field and entered a left downwind leg for runway 36. When it turned onto final approach, he saw the airplane crabbing about 45 degrees into a strong, gusty, right crosswind. The wings were "wobbling." He called the pilot on the radio and suggested that he abandon the approach and maneuver to land on the closed crosswind runway (it was closed because it was used only as a taxiway). The pilot acknowledged. The owner did not w
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the transmission wire. Contributing factors were the high wind, the pilot's decision to make a low-altitude turn onto the crosswind leg, and the power line.
More accidents in NM
- Gates Learjet 25D, Sep 5, 1993
- Piper PA-32-300, Dec 26, 1982
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-30, Jun 25, 1992
- Cessna 421C, Feb 11, 1985
- Beech 58, Mar 26, 1982
Browse: New Mexico · Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
