Forney ERCOUPE F-1 N7555C

Summary

On 8 February 1993 at about 15:06 local time, a Forney ERCOUPE F-1 registered N7555C, operated by Giles, Garred A., was involved in an accident near Aguadilla. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 February 1993 at 15:06

Classification

Accident

Location

Aguadilla

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Forney ERCOUPE F-1

Registration

N7555C

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Giles, Garred A.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA93FA065

2 people died.

EXCESSIVE ELEVATOR CONTROL INPUT BY AN UNKNOWN OCCUPANT AT AN AIRSPEED ABOVE MANEUVERING SPEED WHICH CAUSED BOTH FORWARD WING SPARS TO FAIL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO POOR IN FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND AND HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLT, 12 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS ADDED TO THE FUEL TANKS & THE AIRPLANE WAS FLOWN THREE TIMES. THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT DEPARTED WITH AN UNKNOWN QUANTITY OF FUEL & WHILE MANEUVERING, THE ENGINE QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT, ONE OF THE TWO OCCUPANTS APPLIED FULL UP ELEVATOR CONTROL AT AN AIRSPEED ABOVE MANEUVERING SPEED (VA) WHICH CAUSED BOTH FORWARD WING SPARS TO FAIL IN THE POSITIVE DIRECTION. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED NEAR VERTICAL AND IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE-LOW ATTITUDE. EXAM OF THE AIRPLANE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF FLIGHT CONTROL PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. EXAM OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE FRACTURE SURFACES OF THE WING SPARS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREEXISTING CRACKS OR CORROSION. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN OPERATED FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES SINCE DEPARTURE. THE STUDENT PLT IN THE LEFT SEAT WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT WHO WAS AUTHORIZED TO FLY THE AIRPLANE. NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE AS TO WHY THE PRIVATE PILOT RATED PASSENGER WAS IN THE AIRPLANE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.