- Date
- August 9, 2004, 11:40 local (15:40 UTC)
- Place
- Bar Harbor, ME
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N723SRClassic Waco YMF
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 28, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20040809018759A
- Case key
- 59859
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 wind conditions. A factor was the crosswind.
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
During the approach to runway 22, the pilot monitored the windsock and automated weather observation system (AWOS). The windsock indicated a right-quartering headwind, and the AWOS reported wind from 220 degrees to 310 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 16 knots. During the landing roll, with all three wheels on the ground, the airplane experienced a rear-quartering tailwind. The airplane began to veer left, and the pilot depressed the right brake in an effort to correct for the wind. The airplane subsequently nosed-over, and came to rest inverted in a grass area off the left side of the runway. The reported wind about the time of the accident, was from 300 degrees at 9 knots, gusting to 16 knots.
Factual narrative
On August 9, 2004, about 1140 eastern daylight time, a Classic Aircraft Corporation Waco YMF, N723SR, was substantially damaged while landing at Hancock County - Bar Harbor Airport (BHB), Bar Harbor, Maine. The certificated commercial pilot was seriously injured, and two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local commercial sightseeing flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot stated that he departed in the tailwheel airplane from runway 22, a 5,200-foot-long, 100-foot-wide, asphalt runway. During the takeoff the pilot noted that the windsock and automated weather observation system (AWOS) indicated a right-quartering headwind at 9 knots. After a 40-minute flight, the pilot returned to land on runway 22, and again noted the windsock indicated a right-quartering headwind. In addition, the AWOS reported the wind from 220 degrees to 310 degrees, at 10 knots, gusting to 16 knots.
During the landing roll, with all three wheels on the ground, the airplane experienced a strong rear-quartering tailwind. The airplane began to veer left, and the pilot depressed the right brake in an effort to correct for the wind. The airplane subsequently nosed-over, and came to rest inverted in a grass area off the left side of the runway.
The reported wind at BHB, at 1135, was from 300 degrees at 9 knots, gusting to 16 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N723SR
- Reported as
- Classic Waco YMF
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- F5C070
- Engine
- Jacobs R-755B, 275 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Biokabe Rides Over Atlanta Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic
- Departed
- BHB · Bar Harbor, ME
- Destination
- BHB
- Airport
- BHB · Hancock County - Bar Harbor, runway 22, 5,200 × 100 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
- 57
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 3,560 total · 300 in this make and model · 3,560 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 54 °F
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 N723SR · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.