MIA96LA007

Factual narrative

On October 15, 1995, about 1515 eastern daylight time, N3027G, an Ercoupe ER-2 crashed in Cartersville, Georgia, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private pilot reported no injuries. The flight had originated about 40 minutes earlier. The pilot stated that the engine lost power due to fuel starvation, because the transfer fuel pump was inoperative and he could only utilize the fuel in the header tank. He stated to the FAA inspector that the fuel pump had failed earlier in the day. He had stopped to refuel his fuselage tank and then did some touch-and-go landings at Cedar Falls. He headed towards Cartersville to refuel and the engine lost power and he executed a forced landing to a field. During the final approach the nose wheel clipped a barbed wire fence which drove a fence post into each wing and spun the airplane. The airplane slid about 30 yards into a 4 foot ditch, damaging the engine and airframe. The private pilot stated that the engine lost power due to fuel starvation, because the transfer pump was inoperative and he could only utilize the fuel in the header tank. He stated to the FAA inspector that the fuel pump had failed earlier in the day. He refueled his fuselage tank and did some touch-and-go landings. He then headed towards another destination to refuel and the engine lost power and he executed a forced landing to a field. During the final approach the nose wheel clipped a barbed wire fence which drove a fence post into each wing and spun the airplane around. The airplane then slid approximately 30 yards into a four foot ditch damaging the engine and the airframe. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12