NTSB Factual Report

On July 3, 2004, about 1930 eastern daylight time, an Ercoupe 415C, N2546H, owned and piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage during takeoff from runway 27 (3,830 feet by 160 feet, turf), at the Home Acres Sky Ranch Airport, Lake City, Michigan. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The pilot and passenger received minor injuries. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.

The pilot reported that during the takeoff, he "accelerated to slightly over 85 miles per hour [and] could feel absolutely no lift." The pilot reported that he saw a small piece of paper come from the northwest at approximately 100 feet above the ground. He stated that the paper then dove to the ground to the southwest and bounced along the ground in front of the airplane. The pilot stated that he pulled the throttle back, the airplane bounced off of the ground, hit the end of the runway and crossed the road adjacent to the departure end of the runway and came to rest in the ditch on the west side of the road.

The weather reporting station located at the Wexford County Airport, Cadillac, Michigan, 11 nautical miles west-southwest of the accident site, recorded the wind at 1854 as 120 degrees at 11 knots. At 1954 the recorded wind was 130 degrees at 9 knots gusting to 14 knots.

A review of the pilots logbook by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector revealed that the pilot's most recent flight review as required by 14 CFR 61.56 was conducted on April 10, 2001. FAA records show that the pilot's most recent third class medical certificate was issued on January 23, 2001.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot selecting the wrong runway for the wind conditions and his delay in executing an aborted takeoff resulting in the airplane running off the departure end of the runway and into a ditch. The tailwind and the ditch were contributing factors.