CEN17LA322

NTSB accident investigation · Classic Waco YMF · Hamilton, OH · July 5, 2017

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
July 4, 2017, 19:00 local (Jul 5, 2017, 00:00 UTC)
Place
Hamilton, OH
Injuries
3 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N17XKClassic Waco YMF
Defining event
Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report July 5, 2018
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
FAA FSDO
Case key
95847

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's loss of directional control after landing for reasons that could not be determined because an examination of the airplane did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Findings · 3

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedClassic WACO YMF: 3 casesAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotClassic WACO YMF: 3 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Not determinedNot determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determinedClassic WACO YMF: 1 caseAll aircraft: 2,247 casesProbable cause

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

The commercial pilot and two passengers had completed a local flight. After a routine touchdown and landing roll, the pilot applied the brakes to initiate a right turn onto a taxiway. The pilot reported that the right brake "grabbed immediately," causing the airplane to ground loop. A postaccident examination and disassembly of the brake system revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The reason for the reported brake malfunction could not be determined.

Factual narrative

On July 4, 2017, about 1900 eastern daylight time, a Waco YMF airplane, N17XK, experienced a gear collapse after landing at the Butler County Regional Airport-Hogan Field, Hamilton, Ohio. The pilot and two passengers were not injured, and the airplane was substantially damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by Adventure Airtours, LLC, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a local sightseeing flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The pilot reported that he just completed a local flight and was landing on runway 11. After a routine touchdown and roll out, he applied the brakes to initiate a right turn onto a taxiway. The pilot added that the right brake "grabbed immediately", causing the airplane to turn clockwise to the left. The pilot also added that the tailwheel was down and in the locked position. The left wing struck the ground and the left landing gear collapsed; the airplane came to a stop on the runway. An inspection of the airplane by the responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector noted damage to the left main landing gear and substantial damage to the left wing spar. The airplane was recovered and transported to the manufacturer's facility for repair. During disassembly of the landing gear and braking system, the manufacturer did not find any evidence of a failure in the braking system.

Aircraft

Registration
N17XK
Reported as
Classic Waco YMF (NO SERIES)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
F5C-048
Airframe hours
582.9
Engine
reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Other work use · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · August 18, 2016
Departed
KHAO · Hamilton, OH
Destination
KHAO · Hamilton, OH
Airport
KHAO · Butler County Regional Airport, runway 11, 5,500 × 80 ft, asphalt

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
71
Injuries
None
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
June 29, 2016
Seat
Rear
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
1,896.5 total · 48.5 in this make and model · 2.5 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
20° at 4 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
4,900 ft broken
Temperature
84 °F, dew point 70 °F
Altimeter
30.02 inHg
Observed at
KHAO

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 17, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 MB in all.