- Date
- March 11, 2013, 13:38 local (20:38 UTC)
- Place
- Paso Robles, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N29969Waco UPF-7
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 24, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20130311003099A
- Case key
- 86401
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 adequately compensate for crosswind conditions, which resulted in a loss of 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 reported that, during the landing roll in light and variable wind, a “puff” of wind from the east caused the tail, which was on the runway, to swing around. The pilot added power in an attempt to regain directional control; however, he did not apply power soon enough. The right wing touched the runway, and the airplane impacted a taxiway intersection sign. The airplane's wing spars were structurally damaged, and the upper right wing tip was crushed. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he was performing touch-and-go landings in light and variable wind at 5 knots. During a landing roll, with the tail wheel on the runway, a puff of wind from the east caused the tail to swing around. The pilot added power in an attempt to regain directional control, when the right wing touched the runway and the airplane impacted a taxiway intersection sign. The airplane's wing spars were structurally damaged and the upper right wing tip was crushed. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N29969
- Reported as
- Waco UPF-7
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5466
- Airframe hours
- 4,023
- Engine
- Cont Motor W670 SERIES, 220 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Stewart Edwards
- Registered owner
- Stewart Edwards
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 26, 2012
- Departed
- KPRB · Paso Robles, CA
- Destination
- KPRB · Paso Robles, CA
- Airport
- KPRB · Paso Robles Municipal Airport, runway 19, 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
- 67
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 11, 2011
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 3,986 total · 26 in this make and model · 22 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- KPRB
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 15, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 953 KB 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.