Ercoupe 415-C accident near Rome, GA
On August 17, 2003, an Ercoupe 415-C (airplane) was involved in an accident near Rome, GA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- August 17, 2003
- Place
- Rome, GA
- Aircraft
- Ercoupe 415-C · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 34.273°N, 85.044°W
- NTSB ID
- 20030821X01375
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On August 17, 2003, at 1848 eastern daylight time, an Ercoupe 415-C, N99748, registered to and operated by the private pilot, collided into a pasture in Rome, Georgia. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The private pilot and commercial pilot-rated passenger received fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed. The flight departed Richard B. Russell Airport, in Rome, Georgia, about 1840 on August 17, 2003. The flight was en route to Cartersville, Georgia, where the airplane was based. A witness about eight miles south of the Rome airport reported seeing the airplane flying from the north about 1,000 to 1,500 feet above the ground. He stated he heard the airplane's engine rpm "die down" suddenly for about four or five seconds, then he heard the engine "come back up." He stated the airplane then made a left turn back toward the north and began what appeared to be a controlled descent. The witness stated that, as the airplane turned left, a flash or flame appeared from the underside of the fuselage. A second witness made a similar report of "sputtering" engine noises, and he stated he saw the airplane turning left and descending. He stated he saw orange flames originate from the front of the airplane and "roll" rearward across the bottom of the fuselage, and the flames appeared twice while the airplane was banking to the left. He described the flames as appearing in a flash or burst like lighting a match, and he did not see any smoke. He stated
Probable cause
A loss of engine power due to fuel system contamination (water). Also causal was the pilot's loss of control for undetermined reasons.
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Browse: Georgia · Ercoupe 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.
