# Accident 19980519015369A: Waco YMF, Sedona, AZ, May 19, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 19, 1998, 08:56 local time - Place: Sedona, AZ - Airport: Sedona Airport - Damage: Minor damage - Phase of flight: Other Ground Ops - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 34.9400° N, 111.9399° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.9400&lon=-111.9399&mi=10 - Aircraft: N43064, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N43064) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Classic WACO YMF (registry code 2240101, https://openairdocs.org/model/classic-waco-ymf) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Jacobs R755B series (registry code 35007, https://openairdocs.org/engine/jacobs-r755b-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: WACO YMF - Reported engine: JACOBP R755B2 - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 3,500 total, 1,800 in this make and model, 150 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA165](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA165) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980519015369A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. GROUND CREWMAN WAS STRUCK WHILE PULLING PROP THRU WHEN ENGINE STARTED. PROP HAD KICKED BACK. REPORTED MAGS OFF. (.4)ON MAY 19, 1998, AT 0856 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A GROUND CREWMAN WAS STRUCK BY A PROPELLER WHILE ROTATING A PROPELLER ON A WACO YMF, N43064, AT THE SEDONA, ARIZONA, AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER, THE SOLE OCCUPANTS, WERE NOT INJURED; HOWEVER, THE GROUND CREWMAN SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AS A LOCAL AREA FOR-HIRE SIGHTSEEING OPERATION, AND VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS REVEALED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS PARKED ON THE RAMP AT A FIXED-BASE OPERATOR. A GROUND CREWMAN WAS PULLING THE PROPELLER THROUGH BEFORE STARTING, AND THE PROPELLER REVERSED IN A 180-DEGREE KICKBACK. THE GROUND CREWMAN SUFFERED TWO BROKEN LEGS, ALONG WITH OTHER INJURIES, AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL. THE GROUND CREWMAN EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS THE OPERATOR'S USUAL PRACTICE TO HAVE THE PROPELLER ROTATED SEVEN TIMES BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE TO DISTRIBUTE OIL THROUNG THE CYLINDERS. HE STATED THAT HE HAD NOT SPECIFICALLY ASKED THE PILOT IF THE MAGNETO SWITCH WAS OFF. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE HAD HAND-PROPPED A PROPELLER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE MASTER AVIONICS SWITCH WAS TURNED ON. HE REPORTED THAT AS THE GROUND CREWMAN PULLED THE PROPELLER THROUGH, HE HEARD THE ENGINE KICK OVER. THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THE MASTER SWITCH AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. HE FURTHER REPORTED THAT ALL OTHER SYSTEMS WERE IN THE OFF POSITION. A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINSTRATION INSPECTOR FROM THE SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA, FLIGHT STANDARS DISTRICT OFFICE CONDUCTED AN EXAMINATION OF THE IGNITION SYSTEM. HE REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT IS EQUIPPED WITH AN ELECTRIC STARTER. THE INSPECTOR REPORTED THAT THE MAGNETOS WERE GROUNDED AND HE FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. HE FURTHER REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD TWO 100-HOUR INSPECTIONS WITHIN THE PAST 2 MONTHS, AT WHICH TIME THE IGNITION SYSTEM WAS CHECKED WITH NO ABNORMALITIES NOTED. (-23) SEE ATTACHED: PILOT STATEMENT, PASSENGER STATEMENT, GROUND CREW STATEMENT. NO STATEMENT ATTACHED. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB LAX98LA165](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA165), May 19, 1998: Waco YMF (N43064), Sedona, AZ, minor damage. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to secure the ignition system and magnetos in the off position before asking the ground crewman to rotate the propeller. ## Other reports on N43064 (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20041002027249A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041002027249A), Oct 2, 2004: Amtr WACOYMF (N43064), Sedona, AZ, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot was cruising @ 6800 ft (MSL), 800 ft (AGL) in the local Sedona, AZ area. The pilot heard a very loud "bang" from the engine followed by an… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.