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CEN10CA213

2010-03-27 · Houston, Texas, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport AXH

Current FAA registration · N32077

Make / Model
WACO YPF-7
Year of manufacture
1941 · 69 years old at event
Engine
JACOBS L4 /R755-7 (245 hp)
Seats / Engines
3 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19750507
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A371BD

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's inability to maintain control during landing due to the failure of the tailwheel locking mechanism to remain engaged prior to landing.

Factual narrative

The commercial pilot stated that he locked the tailwheel on his single-engine airplane prior to departure. After takeoff, he stayed in the traffic pattern and landed. However, during the landing roll out, the airplane ground looped and the airplane's lower right wing contacted the ground and broke the wood spar. The pilot stated that on examining the airplane after the accident, that either hardened grease and dirt build up may have prevented the tail wheel locking mechanism from fully engaging or that the mechanism may have been inadvertently bumped in flight. The pilot stated that he locked the tailwheel on his single-engine airplane prior to departure. After takeoff, he stayed in the traffic pattern and landed. However, during the landing rollout the airplane ground-looped and the airplane's lower right wing contacted the ground, breaking the wood spar. The pilot stated that postaccident examination of the airplane indicated that either hardened grease and dirt buildup may have prevented the tailwheel locking mechanism from fully engaging or that the mechanism may have been inadvertently bumped in flight. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Landing gear system-Nose/tail landing gear-Malfunction - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-(general)-Attain/maintain not possible - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2010_CEN10CA213.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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