# NTSB NYC97LA110: Waco YMF, N34SK, Ocean City, MD, June 8, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 8, 1997, 14:45 local (18:45 UTC) - Place: Ocean City, MD - Coordinates: 38.349006, -75.129264 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.3490&lon=-75.1293&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 24, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 39371 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC97LA110 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/39371/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC97LA110 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain directional control and his improper compensation for the wind conditions. Contributing factors were the lack of recent experience in the airplane, and gusty wind conditions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - aborted - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - lack of recent experience in type of aircraft, pilot in command (contributing factor) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - ditch ## Analysis The pilot was practicing takeoffs and landing when the accident occurred. According to the pilot, as the tail was settling from a wheel landing, the airplane encountered a gust of wind, which raised the right wing and the left wing struck the ground. He added power to abort the landing; however, the airplane departed the left side of the runway, and struck a drainage ditch. The right main landing gear collapsed and both spars on the right wing were broken. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. In the preceding year, the pilot had acquired 3 hours of flight time in make/model. ## Factual narrative On June 8, 1997, about 1445 eastern daylight time, a Waco YMF, N34SK, was substantially damaged during an aborted landing at the Ocean City Municipal Airport, Ocean City, Maryland. The certificated airline transport pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local proficiency flight. No flight plan had been filed for the flight which originated from Ocean City at 1345, and was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. In the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident report, the pilot stated: "...I made one full stop and a series of touch and goes, on the last landing which was to be a full stop, I encountered a wind gust on roll out that made the aircraft uncontrollable, resulting in going off the runway [left side] and into the irrigation ditch which runs adjacent to the runway." The airplane was examined by an inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) who reported the ground track of the airplane passed through a drainage ditch. The airplane had come to rest inverted with the right main landing gear collapsed, and both spars of the right wing were broken. In a telephone interview, the pilot reported a gust of wind which lifted the right wing, and the left wing tip touched the ground, after which the airplane departed the runway. When asked if there was a problem with either the flight controls or wheel brakes, the pilot replied, "no." The pilot reported the winds were from 70 to 80 degrees, at 12 to15 knots, with gusts at 20 to 25 knots. The pilot also reported he had about 30,000 hours total flight time, had flown 30-35 hours in the preceding year, and had flown 22 hours in preceding 90 days. He had about 300 hours in Wacos, with 3 hours of recent experience in the last year, all within the preceding 30 days. In a letter dated July 11, 1997, the pilot stated, "...In Retrospect: I believe that a cocked tail wheel, a brake failure, plus a gust of wind were contributing factors in the accident." In a memo dated October 23, 1997, an FAA inspector reported, "...Inspection showed that there was right hydraulic pressure and the brake was operative....", and "...Inspection showed that there was not excessive play in the tail wheel when in the locked position...." Runway 02 was 3,200 feet long, and 75 feet wide. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N34SK](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N34SK), registered now, S/N F5-034, built 1990 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Waco YMF - Registry model: [Classic WACO YMF](https://openairdocs.org/model/classic-waco-ymf) (registry code 2240101) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Jacobs R755B series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/jacobs-r755b-series) (registry code 35007, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: F5-034 - Airframe hours: 862 - Engines: Jacobs R-775-B2 275 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 91 - Registered owner: Bob Bunting - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: OXB - Airport: OXB, Ocean City Municipal, runway 2, 3,200 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 67; flight engineer, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: rear; flight hours: 30,000 total, 300 in this make and model, 19,000 as pilot in command, 19 in the last 90 days, 19 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 70° at 12 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,800 ft broken ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19970608018309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970608018309A), Jun 8, 1997: Waco YMF, Ocean City, MD, Substantial damage. Wind lifted wing landing. Veered off runway. Overturned in a ditch. Was on a profiency flight. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.