Sterling Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sterling, Massachusetts 01564
Friday, October 11, 1985 17:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT CONTACTED TREES WHILE MAKING AN APCH TO RWY 34 AT STERLING, MASSACHUSETTS. THE ACFT CRASHED ABOUT 100 FT SHORT OF THE RWY. THE PLT STATED THAT A SEVERE DOWNDRAFT WAS ENCOUNTERED AND THEN A RAPID RATE OF DESCENT FOLLOWED. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR STRUCK TREES VEERING THE ACFT LEFT 20 DEGS. THE ACFT PITCHED THROUGH THE TREES, STRIKING THE GROUND LEFT WING AND NOSE FIRST.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/11/1985
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City STERLING
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 01564
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport STERLING
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3B3
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 459
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1715
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1850
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 15 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29231
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3191H
NTSB Number NYC86LA007
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.)
Aircraft Model 415-D
Aircraft Series Identifier 415-D
Aircraft Serial Number 3816
Certified Max Gross Weight 1400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 5 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 1511
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KEVIN K. ECKERT & ROBERT MOHR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 141 9TH STREET
Aircraft Owner City QUAKERTOWN
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 18951
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 3B3
Departure City STERLING
Departure State MA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1730
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 34
Runway Length 3100
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --