- Date
- January 25, 2014, 14:01 local (22:01 UTC)
- Place
- Renton, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N188LWaco Classic YMF F5C
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 21, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20140125000379A
- Case key
- 88721
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 of the airplane during landing.
Findings · 2
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 the tailwheel equipped airplane, as the rudder lost effectiveness, the airplane veered to the right and then ground looped off of the runway. Subsequently, the left wing struck the ground, which resulted in substantial damage. The pilot reported that he thought he may have inadvertently applied minor application of the right brake due to his foot placement. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the landing roll in the tailwheel equipped airplane, as the rudder lost effectiveness, the airplane veered to the right and then ground looped off of the runway. Subsequently, the left wing struck the ground, which resulted in substantial damage. The pilot reported that he thought he may have inadvertently applied minor application of the right brake due to his foot placement. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N188L
- Reported as
- Waco Classic YMF F5C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- F5C-8-136
- Built
- 2013
- Airframe hours
- 45
- Engine
- Jacobs R-755A2M, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Benefit Aviation LLC
- Registered owner
- Benefit Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 18, 2013 · 45 hours before
- Departed
- RNT · Renton, WA
- Destination
- RNT · Renton, WA
- Airport
- RNT · Renton Muni, runway 16, 5,382 × 200 ft, concrete
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
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 11, 2013
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 765 total · 45 in this make and model · 765 as pilot in command · 42 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.31 inHg
- Observed at
- KRNT
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 16, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.0 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.