- Date
- July 14, 2020, 07:30 local (11:30 UTC)
- Place
- New Carlisle, OH
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N14139Waco YKC
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration, Cincinnati FSDO
- FAA report
- 20200714017809A
- Case key
- 101600
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain proper approach speed and descent path to the runway, which resulted in excessive speed at touchdown and insufficient runway remaining to safely bring the airplane to a stop before the end of the runway. Contributing to the accident was the airplane's diminished braking due to the dew-covered grass runway condition.
Findings · 5
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.
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 pilot was practicing full-stop landings in the tailwheel-equipped airplane while on a local personal flight. The pilot reported that his first two landings were uneventful and that the surface wind was calm. He stated that before his third landing he had made two go-arounds because the airplane was not established on a proper descent path to the runway. The pilot reported that on his third attempt the airplane touched down with excessive speed and about 100 ft before the halfway point of the 2,000 ft long runway. The pilot applied "moderate" braking about 600 ft from the end of the runway in attempt to slow the airplane, but the airplane began to slide on the dew-covered grass. When it became apparent that the airplane would not stop before the end of the runway, the pilot intentionally ground-looped the airplane in attempt to avoid a runway excursion. However, the airplane continued to slide off the end of the runway and the lower right wing impacted the airport perimeter fence. The airplane then nosed over onto the fence. The lower right wing main spar fractured during the accident. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane. Postaccident examination confirmed flight control continuity and found no issues with the wheel brakes.
Factual narrative
The pilot was practicing full-stop landings in the tailwheel-equipped airplane while on a local personal flight. The pilot reported that his first two landings were uneventful and that the surface wind was calm. He stated that before his third landing he had made two go-arounds because the airplane was not established on a proper descent path to the runway. The pilot reported that on his third attempt the airplane touched down with excessive speed and about 100 ft before the halfway point of the 2,000 ft long runway. The pilot applied "moderate" braking about 600 ft from the end of the runway in attempt to slow the airplane, but the airplane began to slide on the dew-covered grass. When it became apparent that the airplane would not stop before the end of the runway, the pilot intentionally ground-looped the airplane in attempt to avoid a runway excursion. However, the airplane continued to slide off the end of the runway and the lower right wing impacted the airport perimeter fence. The airplane then nosed over onto the fence. The lower right wing main spar fractured during the accident. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane. Postaccident examination confirmed flight control continuity and found no issues with the wheel brakes.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N14139
- Reported as
- Waco YKC (No Series)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4219
- Built
- 1934
- Airframe hours
- 860.1
- Engine
- Jacobs R-755B2, 275 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 8, 2019
- Departed
- 3OH0 · New Carlisle, OH
- Destination
- 3OH0 · New Carlisle, OH
- Airport
- 3OH0 · Andy Barnhart Memorial Airport, runway 28, 2,000 × 150 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- None
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
- 75
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 2, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 819.4 total · 20.5 in this make and model · 778.9 as pilot in command · 26.2 in the last 90 days · 8.1 in the last 30 days · 0.5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- FFO, 7 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 22, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.5 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.