# Accident 20110312007139A: Waco UPF-7, Brownsville, TX, March 12, 2011 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 12, 2011, 15:13 local time - Place: Brownsville, TX - Airport: Brownsville International - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Maneuver - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 25.9114° N, 97.4319° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.9114&lon=-97.4319&mi=10 - Aircraft: N30136, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N30136) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Waco UPF-7 (registry code 9601302, https://openairdocs.org/model/waco-upf-7) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985 series (registry code 52008, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-985-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: WACO UPF-7 - Reported engine: P&W R-985 SERIES - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 2 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot - Pilot flight hours: 2,275 total, 730 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN11FA228](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11FA228) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110312007139A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON MAR. 12, 2011, A WACO UPF-7, AIRCRAFT PERFORMING DURING AN AIRSHOW, LOST POWER AND CRASHED INTO A WOODED AREA AT THE BROWNSVILLE AIRPORT. AFTER COMING OUT OF AN INVERTED MANUEVER THE ENGINE SPUTERRED AND TWO PLUMES OF FIRE COULD BE SEEN COMING FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE, ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE R-985 PRATT AND WHITNEY ENGINE. THERE WAS A POST CRASH FIRE. THE FIRE APPEARS TO HAVE STARTED ON THE RIGHT AFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE. THE SMOKE OIL LINE THAT GOES INTO THE ENGINE EXHAUST BROKE OFF ON IMPACT. THE WINGWALKER WAS CRITICALLY INJURED AND THE PILOT WAS INJURED SERIOUSLY.NOTE: APR. 4, 2011, THE ENGINE INSPECTION AND RUN UP WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY THE COMPANY THAT OVERHAULED THE ENGINE, TULSA AIRCRAFT ENGINES, OUT OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA. THE NTSB AND TWO AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTORS WERE PRESENT FOR THE INSPECTION AND RUN UP. TWO OF THE LOWER CYLINDERS WERE REPLACED DUE TO DAMAGE DURING THE IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. THERE WERE NO ANOMILIES WITH THE ENGINE. THE FUEL PUMP WAS GOOD. THEY FOUND AN ANOMOLY IN THE FUEL SERVO. THE FUEL SERVO WAS BENCH TESTED AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT AT LOW POWER SETTINGS IT WOULD RUN RICH. DURING THE INSPECTION A LEVER THAT IS INSIDE THE SERVO WAS FOUND TO BE SLIGHTLY BENT, THIS THEY SAID WOULD CAUSE THE SERVO TO RUN RICH IF IT WAS BENT BAD ENOUGH. THE BEND ON THE LEVER WAS NOT VISIBLE TO THE NAKED EYE. DURING THE VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE SERVO THE AIR CHAMBER WAS DRY. THERE WAS NO FUEL IN THE CHAMBER INDICATING THAT THE BEND ON THE LEVER WAS NOT CAUSING THE ENGINE TO RUN RICH.NOTE: MAR. 15, 2011, A (WITNESS) MECHANIC, AT THE BROWNSVILLE AIRPORT SAID THAT ON FRIDAY MARCH 11, AS N30136 WAS TAXIING BY, THE ENGINE QUIT. HE SAID THAT THE PILOT RESTARTED THE ENGINE WITH NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. APR. 13, 2011, WE CALLED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND ASKED HIM ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ONBOARD FIRE PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTING THE GROUND. HIS ANSWER WAS THAT THERE WAS NO FIRE ONBOARD.APR. 28, 2011, CAUSE OF ACCIDENT IS INCONCLUSIVE AT THIS POINT. ## 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 CEN11FA228](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11FA228), Mar 12, 2011: Waco UPF-7 (N30136), Brownsville, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Other reports on N30136 (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 19970712018149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970712018149A), Jul 12, 1997: Waco UPF7 (N30136), Springfield, IL, Substantial damage. Aircraft was performing airshow routine, hit the ground while completing a half cuban eight maneuver. (.4)the pilot said that he was performing an airshow… - [Accident 19821003050259A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19821003050259A), Oct 3, 1982: Waco UPF7 (N30136), Albuquerque, NM, Substantial damage. Made several go-arounds due to a locked right brake. Cut brake line. Still locked. Nosed over landing off runway. 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.