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Atlas / NTSB / LAX89LA166

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event LAX89LA166

1989-04-20 HOLLBROOK, Arizona, United States Airport · P14 None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N12428

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

WACO QCF

Year of manufacture

1940 · 49 years old at event

Engine

CONT MOTOR W670 SERIES (250 hp)

Seats / Engines

3 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

19710121

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A0654D

Registrant of record

FLYING BAREFOOT RANCH LLC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DUE TO GUSTING WIND CONDITIONS. THE PILOT DID NOT ADEQUATELY CORRECT THE SITUATION BEFORE THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED INTO SOFT TERRAIN.

Factual narrative

DURING A LANDING, THE AIRPLANE MADE A THREE POINT TOUCHDOWN.A GUST OF WIND CAUGHT THE AIRPLANE WHICH BECAME AIRBORNE. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RELAND, HOWEVER, THE LANDING WAS HARD AND THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED. THE PILOT ADDED FULL POWER WHEN THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO GROUND LOOP. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL, THE AIRPLANE EXITED THE RUNWAY INTO A SANDY AREA. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL DIFFICULTIES WITH THE AIRPLANE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_LAX89LA166.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.