What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot in command had flown three (3) uneventul laps making full stop taxi-backs on runway 34, VFR at kpdk prior to the accident. The tower report for weather was 30017G32KTS. Maximum demonstrated crosswinds for the Waco UPF-7 is 15 knots.
Investigative video from the kpdk FBO depicts the PIC losing control of the aircraft on landing due to high winds. The 8020-9 tower report stated that aircraft privacy data omitted had not reduced enough speed to receive runway exit instructions. Shortly after landing during taxi the left main landing gear wheel is lifted from the runway high enough to cause the right wing to strike the runway. The left main gear is brought back down to the runway and immediately begans to veer into the grassy area containing airport e and b location/directional signs. The aircraft strikes a sign damaging the left spar forward of the aileron. The aircraft continues to roll through the grassy area onto a paved taxi area, then comes to a brief stop. Video shows that approximately 23 seconds passes and the pilot begans to taxi the aircraft towards the hangar area. There is a known no movement area 30 yards directly in front of the aircraft. The PIC declared the aircraft and personnel on board as uninjured and aircraft operational.
This investigation determines that the pilot in command knowingly operated the Waco-upf 7 in the unsafe condtions of high winds and gusts of up to 32 knots. The pilot in command did not adhere to known saftey precautions and practices even after bring the aircraft to a stop.
End narrative.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT IN COMMAND HAD FLOWN THREE (3) UNEVENTUL LAPS MAKING FULL STOP TAXI-BACKS ON RUNWAY 34, VFR AT KPDK PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE TOWER REPORT FOR WEATHER WAS 30017G32KTS. MAXIMUM DEMONSTRATED CROSSWINDS FOR THE WACO UPF-7 IS 15 KNOTS.
INVESTIGATIVE VIDEO FROM THE KPDK FBO DEPICTS THE PIC LOSING CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT ON LANDING DUE TO HIGH WINDS. THE 8020-9 TOWER REPORT STATED THAT AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD NOT REDUCED ENOUGH SPEED TO RECEIVE RUNWAY EXIT INSTRUCTIONS. SHORTLY AFTER LANDING DURING TAXI THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEEL IS LIFTED FROM THE RUNWAY HIGH ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE RIGHT WING TO STRIKE THE RUNWAY. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR IS BROUGHT BACK DOWN TO THE RUNWAY AND IMMEDIATELY BEGANS TO VEER INTO THE GRASSY AREA CONTAINING AIRPORT E AND B LOCATION/DIRECTIONAL SIGNS. THE AIRCRAFT STRIKES A SIGN DAMAGING THE LEFT SPAR FORWARD OF THE AILERON. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUES TO ROLL THROUGH THE GRASSY AREA ONTO A PAVED TAXI AREA, THEN COMES TO A BRIEF STOP. VIDEO SHOWS THAT APPROXIMATELY 23 SECONDS PASSES AND THE PILOT BEGANS TO TAXI THE AIRCRAFT TOWARDS THE HANGAR AREA. THERE IS A KNOWN NO MOVEMENT AREA 30 YARDS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PIC DECLARED THE AIRCRAFT AND PERSONNEL ON BOARD AS UNINJURED AND AIRCRAFT OPERATIONAL.
THIS INVESTIGATION DETERMINES THAT THE PILOT IN COMMAND KNOWINGLY OPERATED THE WACO-UPF 7 IN THE UNSAFE CONDTIONS OF HIGH WINDS AND GUSTS OF UP TO 32 KNOTS. THE PILOT IN COMMAND DID NOT ADHERE TO KNOWN SAFTEY PRECAUTIONS AND PRACTICES EVEN AFTER BRING THE AIRCRAFT TO A STOP.
END NARRATIVE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.