- Date
- April 3, 2004, 10:14 local (16:14 UTC)
- Place
- Temple, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N12444Waco RBA
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20040403004339A
- Case key
- 58994
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 directional control during the landing roll. A contributing factor was the locked wheel.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot lost directional control of the vintage bi-plane during the landing roll. The 192-hour pilot configured the tailwheel equipped airplane to land on Runway 15. Runway 15 was 6,301 feet long by 150 feet wide and has an asphalt surface. The pilot stated that he configured for a power-on wheel landing. Touchdown on the main landing gear was "normal." As power decreased, the airplane began to slow down, the pilot added forward stick to keep the tail "off" as long as possible. During the landing roll, the right wing "began to lift." As the wing came up, the pilot applied left brake and he applied a little aileron. The left brake "locked up," and the aircraft nosed-over, onto its top wing. The winds at the airport at 0955 were reported from 320 degrees at 3 knots.
Factual narrative
On April 3, 2004, approximately 1014 central standard time, a Waco RBA single-engine bi-plane, registered to and operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged following a loss of directional control during the landing roll at Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport (TPL), near Temple, Texas. The private pilot and pilot-rated passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local flight originated at 0930.
According to the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the 192-hour pilot departed TPL under "mostly ideal flying conditions," and flew to a private grass strip to perform three full stall landings. Upon returning to TPL, the pilot configured the 1932 vintage airplane to land on Runway 15. Runway 15 was 6,301 feet long by 150 feet wide and has an asphalt surface. The pilot stated that the base and final legs were "normal" and there was no "crabbing," which led the pilot to configure for a power-on wheel landing. Touchdown on the main landing gear was "normal;" there was no sign of trouble. As power decreased, the airplane began to slow down, and the pilot added forward stick to keep the tail "off" as long as possible. The pilot held the stick as long as possible, but the tail eventually came down and the pilot stated that he knew the speed rolling on the runway would be a little fast, but manageable. During the landing roll, the right wing "began to lift." As the wing came up, the pilot applied left brake and applied a little aileron. The left brake "locked up," and the aircraft nosed-over, onto its top wing.
Examination of the wreckage by the owner/operator revealed structural damage to the upper left and right wings, the wooded propeller disintegrated, the wooden motor mount was destroyed, the left wheel fairing was crushed, center section of the gas tank was wrinkled topside, and the vertical stabilizer was crushed.
The owner/operator added that it is extremely difficult to land a narrow-gear bi-plane on a grooved asphalt runway. He added that he would like the airport to provide a grass landing area for bi-planes.
The weather conditions for TPL at 0955 were reporting winds from 320 degrees at 3 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N12444
- Reported as
- Waco RBA
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3593
- Airframe hours
- 1,552.2
- Engine
- Warner S-40, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Alan McClure
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 14, 2003 · 16 hours before
- Departed
- TPL · Temple, TX
- Destination
- TPL · Temple, TX
- Airport
- TPL · Draughon-Miller Central Texas, runway 15, 6,301 × 150 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
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- June 18, 2002
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 192 total · 103 in this make and model · 129 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- TPL
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.