[COUPERS-TECH] DITCHING

[DONALD BOWEN]

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Jason found this more recent Couper ditching mishap. Apparently, the student pilot ran out of fuel while diverting eastward over the ocean to avoid weather. He ditched 3 mi. offshore, and seems to have made it safely to shore. Sure would like to read his statement, particularly about touchdown on water. Doesn't appear that he flipped over, though. Too bad he didn't land at one of the many airfields along his route from Homestead to St Augustine.
Don Bowen



NTSB Identification: MIA70D0156
14 CFR Part 91 General Aviation
Event occurred Tuesday, July 29, 1969 in ST AUGUSTINE, FL
Aircraft: ERCOUPE 415-C, registration: N41A

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 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-3280  69/7/29    ST AUGUSTINE,FLA    ERCOUPE 415-C       CR-  0  0  1  NONCOMMERCIAL             STUDENT, AGE 27, 105
        TIME - 1245                    N41A                PX-  0  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, UNK/NR IN
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            TYPE, NOT INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          HOMESTEAD,FLA               AUGUSTA,GA
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           ENGINE FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION                            IN FLIGHT: NORMAL CRUISE
           DITCHING                                                 LANDING: LEVEL OFF/TOUCHDOWN
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           POWERPLANT - MISCELLANEOUS: POWERPLANT FAILURE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS
           PILOT IN COMMAND - EXERCISED POOR JUDGMENT
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - RAIN
           WEATHER - THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN WATER
        COMPLETE POWER LOSS - COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE/FLAMEOUT-1 ENGINE
        WEATHER BRIEFING - NO RECORD OF BRIEFING RECEIVED
        WEATHER FORECAST - UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES - FORCED LANDING OFF AIRPORT ON WATER
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          SCATTERED                                                 2600
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                                     RAIN
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES
          NONE                                                     270
        WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS                                      TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
           10                                                      VFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          NONE
        REMARKS- ADVERSE WX,DEVIATED E OVR OCEAN,UN GLIDE TO SHORE,DITCHED APRX 3MIS OUT.TSTMS IN AREA.

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