# Accident 20220902015179A: Waco Classic Aircraft Corp 2T-1A-2, Coldwater, MI, September 2, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 2, 2022, 14:45 local time
- Place: Coldwater, MI
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.9332° N, 85.0519° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9332&lon=-85.0519&mi=10
- Aircraft: N21GL, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N21GL) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Waco Classic 2T-1A-2 (registry code 9600427, https://openairdocs.org/model/waco-classic-2t-1a-2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-B1G6 (registry code 41879, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-aeio-360-b1g6) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: WACO CLASSIC AIRCRAFT CORP 2T-1A-2
- Reported engine: LYCOMING AEIO-360-B1G6
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 20,468 total, 195 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN22LA410](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA410) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220902015179A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON SEPTEMBER 02, 2022 AT 1445 LOCAL TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL WACO CORPORATION GREAT LAKES AIRCRAFT,^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, REGISTERED TO AN AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURER AND OPERATED AS A DEMONSTRATION/INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT BY AN ATP RATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL AND SUBSEQUENT HARD LANDING ON THE GRASS PARALLEL TO RUNWAY 07 BRANCH COUNTY MEMORIAL AIRPORT (OEB) COLD WATER, MICHIGAN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN.  BOTH THE PILOT AND PRIVATE RATED PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE BATTLE CREEK EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (BTL), BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN AT APPROXIMATELY 1400.

IT APPEARS THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE ON SHORT FINAL WHEN THE AIRCRAFT STALLED APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET ABOVE THE GRASS CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO DESCEND UNCONTROLLED TO THE SURFACE. ON IMPACT BOTH MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEELS SEPARATED FROM THE GEAR LEGS CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO DIG-IN AND NOSE OVER WITH THE AIRCRAFT COMING TO REST INVERTED.

INSTRUCTOR STATED THIS WAS THE STUDENT PILOT?S FIRST LANDING IN THE GRASS PARALLEL TO RUNWAY 07. ADDITIONALLY, BECAUSE OF DIFFERENT VISUAL REFERENCES FROM PREVIOUS RUNWAY LANDINGS, IT WILL APPEAR THE AIRCRAFT IS CLOSER TO THE GROUND THAN IT ACTUALLY IS. THE STUDENT PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFTS AIRSPEED TO DECAY TO THE POINT THE AIRCRAFT STALLED ABOVE THE GRASS AND SUSTAINED A HARD LANDING. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT ALSO STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT IN TIME TO PREVENT THE ACCIDENT.

INVESTIGATION SHOWS THE AIRCRAFT INVERTED AND FACING 180 DEGREES FROM THE RUNWAY HEADING. ALL THREE PROPELLER BLADES ARE BROKEN AND SEPARATED AT THE HUB. BOTH UPPER AND LOWER WING ASSEMBLIES ARE DAMAGED AND TWISTED WITH COLLAPSE OF INBOARD JURY STRUTS JUST FORWARD OF THE FRONT SEAT. THE VERTICAL STABILIZER IS CRUSHED WITH BOTH HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS ALSO DAMAGED. THERE WAS NO POST-CRASH FIRE. ELT DID FUNCTION AS DESIGNED.

## 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 CEN22LA410](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA410), Sep 2, 2022: Waco Classic 2T-1A-2 (N21GL), Coldwater, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot receiving instruction’s improper flare during landing and the flight instructor’s inadequate remedial action, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attach and…

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.

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