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20140629012059A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Waco UPF-7 · Bealton, VA · June 29, 2014

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
June 29, 2014 · 14:45 local
Place
Bealton, VA
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N32162
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA14LA319
Reported as
Waco UPF-7
Reported engine
Continental W670 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
1
Pilot’s certificate
Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours
14,700 total33 in this make and model202 in the last 90 days
N32162Registered now · Waco UPF-7S/N 5794 · Built 1942Airframe modelWaco UPF-7Engine modelJacobs R-755A2MReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

While flying in formation at the flying circus aerodrome in Bealton, VA, a Waco UPF-7 (NC32162) made a forced landing in an open field after the engine quit. The aircraft departed the open field and impacted several pine trees at the edge of the field. The pilot was taken to the hospital with a possible shoulder injury prior to the arrival of first responders.

Arriving at the scene, the aircraft was located approximately 50 ft. into the wood line at the edge of the field. It had impacted and was resting against a large pine tree about 10? Behind the rear cockpit. A VA state trooper, the aircraft owner, and the air boss of the flying circus were at the scene. Initial reports indicated that there were two persons onboard the aircraft. In a discussion with the air boss he stated that the pilot was the only occupant onboard. He also confirmed that the pilot had gone to the hospital but was unsure if he had driven himself.

While accomplishing a walk around of the aircraft, it was observed that the right wing (upper & lower) had sheared off outboard of the fuel tank. Both fuel tanks did contain fuel and were not leaking. The air cleaner screen mounted at the bottom of the displayed some evidence of dust but overall was clear. The bottom portion of the 2 bladed propeller was buried in the ground and resting against a tree stump. The upper portion of the blade/tip was straight and did not show any sign of accident damage.

The VA state trooper on-sight advised that another trooper was dispatched to the hospital to record a statement from the pilot.

In a statement made to the VA state police at fauquier hospital, the pilot privacy data omitted said: " 2:45ISH, the engine just quit. Puff of smoke & engine rolled down/started to slow then quit. Flying in circle for opening of show, 7 total planes up there at that time. Was flying over circus grounds when engine quit & he thought he would have enough power to circle & get back to runway but realized it was not going to make it & put it down in field. Touched down at 50 knots (55 mph) then bout 45 mph when hit trees."

As the FAA filed it

WHILE FLYING IN FORMATION AT THE FLYING CIRCUS AERODROME IN BEALTON, VA, A WACO UPF-7 (NC32162) MADE A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD AFTER THE ENGINE QUIT. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE OPEN FIELD AND IMPACTED SEVERAL PINE TREES AT THE EDGE OF THE FIELD. THE PILOT WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WITH A POSSIBLE SHOULDER INJURY PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL OF FIRST RESPONDERS.

ARRIVING AT THE SCENE, THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 50 FT. INTO THE WOOD LINE AT THE EDGE OF THE FIELD. IT HAD IMPACTED AND WAS RESTING AGAINST A LARGE PINE TREE ABOUT 10? BEHIND THE REAR COCKPIT. A VA STATE TROOPER, THE AIRCRAFT OWNER, AND THE AIR BOSS OF THE FLYING CIRCUS WERE AT THE SCENE. INITIAL REPORTS INDICATED THAT THERE WERE TWO PERSONS ONBOARD THE AIRCRAFT. IN A DISCUSSION WITH THE AIR BOSS HE STATED THAT THE PILOT WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT ONBOARD. HE ALSO CONFIRMED THAT THE PILOT HAD GONE TO THE HOSPITAL BUT WAS UNSURE IF HE HAD DRIVEN HIMSELF.

WHILE ACCOMPLISHING A WALK AROUND OF THE AIRCRAFT, IT WAS OBSERVED THAT THE RIGHT WING (UPPER & LOWER) HAD SHEARED OFF OUTBOARD OF THE FUEL TANK. BOTH FUEL TANKS DID CONTAIN FUEL AND WERE NOT LEAKING. THE AIR CLEANER SCREEN MOUNTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DISPLAYED SOME EVIDENCE OF DUST BUT OVERALL WAS CLEAR. THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE 2 BLADED PROPELLER WAS BURIED IN THE GROUND AND RESTING AGAINST A TREE STUMP. THE UPPER PORTION OF THE BLADE/TIP WAS STRAIGHT AND DID NOT SHOW ANY SIGN OF ACCIDENT DAMAGE.

THE VA STATE TROOPER ON-SIGHT ADVISED THAT ANOTHER TROOPER WAS DISPATCHED TO THE HOSPITAL TO RECORD A STATEMENT FROM THE PILOT.

IN A STATEMENT MADE TO THE VA STATE POLICE AT FAUQUIER HOSPITAL, THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SAID: " 2:45ISH, THE ENGINE JUST QUIT. PUFF OF SMOKE & ENGINE ROLLED DOWN/STARTED TO SLOW THEN QUIT. FLYING IN CIRCLE FOR OPENING OF SHOW, 7 TOTAL PLANES UP THERE AT THAT TIME. WAS FLYING OVER CIRCUS GROUNDS WHEN ENGINE QUIT & HE THOUGHT HE WOULD HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO CIRCLE & GET BACK TO RUNWAY BUT REALIZED IT WAS NOT GOING TO MAKE IT & PUT IT DOWN IN FIELD. TOUCHED DOWN AT 50 KNOTS (55 MPH) THEN BOUT 45 MPH WHEN HIT TREES."

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA14LA319Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWarrenton, VAA total loss of engine power during a low pass for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examination of the engine.Jun 29, 2014 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N32162 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20000723007299AWarrenton, VA(-23) On July 23, 2000, at approximately 1315 local time, N32162, a Waco model YPF7 crashed while attempting a takeoff at the Flying cirus Aerodrome airport located in bealeton, Virginia. The pilot and two passengers were not injuried. The aircraft was…Jul 23, 2000 · No damage