TOPEKA, KS, USA
N93846
ERCOUPE 415-C
THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED AND BURNED DURING TAKEOFF AT 1303 CST. THE PILOT RECEIVED SECOND DEGREE BURNS OVER 20 PER CENT OF HIS BODY AND EXPIRED ON 3/9/82. TWO SAILPLANES WERE DAMAGED BY IMPACT AND FIRE, AND A THIRD SAILPLANE RECEIVED FIRE DAMAGE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, HE MADE TWO TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS IN CALM AIR WITHOUT INCIDENT. HE FURTHER STATED THAT ON HIS THIRD TAKEOFF, HE STARTED A TURN AT 75 FT AGL AND WAS CAUGHT BY A SUDDEN GUST OF WIND WHICH CAUSED HIS RIGHT WING TO DROP. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED BEFORE HE COULD REGAIN CONTROL. HE REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO MALFUNCTION OF THE ENGINE OR AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO IMPACT. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE WIND WAS CALM PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THEN SUDDENLY BECAME GUSTY FROM THE NORTH AT 15 MPH. EIGHT MILES SOUTHEAST AT THE PHILLIP BILLARD AIRPORT, THERE WAS A WIND SHIFT AT 1344 CST FROM 040 DEGREES AT 4 KNOTS TO 010 DEGREES AT 13 KNOTS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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