Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415C N99355

Summary

On 22 June 2006 at about 01:39 local time, a Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415C registered N99355, operated by Gar Braun, was involved in an accident near Panacea, Florida, United States. 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

22 June 2006 at 01:39

Classification

Accident

Location

Panacea, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Wakulla County (2J0)

Coordinates

29.9933, -84.3953

Aircraft

Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415C

Registration

N99355

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Gar Braun

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Panacea → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

MIA06LA118

2 people died.

A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, which resulted in the airplane descending and impacting trees during the approach. A possible contributing factor was the pilot's pre-existing cardiovascular condition.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The accident airplane's co-owner/pilot and a pilot-rated passenger had both been at a social function near the airport, and had departed on a short flight to demonstrate the co-owner's recently acquired airplane. The flight originated about 2125 and a short while later the airplane clipped trees at about the 20-foot level, and then descended, impacting the ground and burning just short of the runway. The fire largely consumed the airplane, but the absence of evidence of propeller rotation suggested that the engine ceased operating prior to impact. Post-accident engine examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal engine operation. The pilot's postmortem examination revealed evidence of the pilot having focal severe coronary atherosclerosis, and no evidence of smoke inhalation or obviously fatal injuries. There was insufficient evidence to determine conclusively whether or when a cardiac event might have occurred. Toxicology testing of specimens from the pilot suggested that he was intoxicated by alcohol at the time of the flight and had used marijuana within 10 hours of the accident. The pilot-rated passenger did not have a current medical certificate.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.