Event NYC97LA110

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. 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. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12