LAX06CA078

NTSB accident investigation · Waco YMF-5C · Lihue, HI · December 28, 2005

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
December 28, 2005, 11:45 local (21:45 UTC)
Place
Lihue, HI
Injuries
3 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N572TBWaco YMF-5C
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report April 25, 2006
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20051228030469A
Case key
63036

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 inadequate compensation for the crosswind condition and failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft on landing.

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.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding
Compensation for wind conditions - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Weather condition - crosswind
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Ground loop/swerve - encounteredPilot in command
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterLanding - roll
Terrain condition - ground

Analysis

The airplane ground looped and dragged a wing on landing. The pilot stated he was returning from a sightseeing flight with two passengers. The control tower cleared him to land on runway 21. The pilot said his view of the windsock was blocked when he turned downwind to base. When he touched down, the airplane bounced and began to weather cock to the left. The right wing tip made contact with the ground, and the airplane departed the runway into the weeds and ground looped. At the time of the accident, the winds at the airport were from 110 degrees at 10 knots. The pilot said there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.

Factual narrative

On December 28, 2005, about 1145 Hawaiian standard time, a Waco Classic YMF-5C, N572TB, ground looped and dragged a wing at Lihue Airport, Lihue, Hawaii. Fly Kauai, Inc., was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The airline transport pilot and two passengers were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The local for hire sightseeing flight departed Lihue at 1045. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

In a written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board, the pilot stated he was returning from a sightseeing flight with two passengers. The control tower cleared him to land on runway 21. The pilot said his view of the windsock was blocked when he turned downwind to base. When he touched down, the airplane bounced and began to weather cock to the left. The right wing tip made contact with the ground, and the airplane departed the runway into the weeds and ground looped. At the time of the accident, the winds at the airport were from 110 degrees at 10 knots. The pilot said there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.

Aircraft

Registration
N572TB
Reported as
Waco YMF-5C
Category
Airplane
Serial number
F5C101
Airframe hours
993
Engine
Jacobs R755-B2M, 275 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Other work use · Part 91
Registered owner
Fly Kauai, Inc
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · October 1, 2005 · 6.2 hours before
Departed
LIH · Lihue, HI
Destination
LIH · Lihue, HI
Airport
LIH · Lihue, runway 21, 6,500 × 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
73
Injuries
None
Certificates
Commercial, Airline transport
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2
Last flight review
July 1, 2004
Seat
Rear
Flight hours
13,000 total · 275 in this make and model · 8,000 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
110° at 10 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
82 °F, dew point 68 °F
Altimeter
30.04 inHg
Observed at
PHLI

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.