- Date
- December 25, 2015, 15:35 local (23:35 UTC)
- Place
- Fullerton, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N99YWaco YMF
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 14, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20151225023259A
- Case key
- 92502
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.
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.
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 of the tailwheel-equipped biplane reported that during the landing roll, a gust of wind lifted the right wing. The airplane started to ground-loop to the right, the left main landing gear collapsed, and left wing impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the bottom left wing. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather reporting station located at Fullerton Municipal Airport reported at 1553 Pacific standard time, wind from 300 degrees at 10 knots, wind gust 20 knots, 10 miles visibility, clear sky, temperature 59 degrees Fahrenheit (F), dew point 16 degrees F, and a barometric pressure of 30.01 inches of mercury.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped biplane reported that during the landing roll, a gust of wind lifted the right wing. The airplane started to ground-loop to the right, the left main landing gear collapsed, and left wing impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the bottom left wing. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather reporting station located at Fullerton Municipal Airport reported at 1553 Pacific standard time, wind from 300 degrees at 10 knots, wind gust 20 knots, 10 miles visibility, clear sky, temperature 59 degrees Fahrenheit (F), dew point 16 degrees F, and a barometric pressure of 30.01 inches of mercury.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N99Y
- Reported as
- Waco YMF (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- F5-002
- Built
- 1986
- Airframe hours
- 720.2
- Engine
- Jacobs R755-B2, 275 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Scotty Box R&D LLC
- Registered owner
- Scotty Box R&D LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 3, 2015
- Departed
- FUL · Fullerton, CA
- Destination
- FUL · Fullerton, CA
- Airport
- FUL · Fullerton Muni, runway 24, 3,121 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 46
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 3, 2015
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 416 total · 78 in this make and model · 372 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 10 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 16 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- KFUL
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 5, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 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.
Other investigations on N99Y · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.