This February 2009 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Aircraft: Ercoupe 415D. Injuries: None. Location: Whitehall, Mont. Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: The pilot was attempting to land. He touched down farther down the runway than he intended and the airplane bounced. He added power, regained level flight, reduced power, and landed again. As he applied the brakes, he realized that the landing roll would exceed the amount of runway remaining. He turned hard right to avoid a fence and a ditch, but could not keep the Ercoupe’s left wing from hitting the ground.
Probable cause: The failure to attain the proper touchdown point and his failure to abort the landing.
For more information: NTSB.gov
