Waco UPF-7 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, August 18, 1995
On August 18, 1995 at about 6:05 am local time, a Waco UPF-7, registered N134Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Lake Hood Strip airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION, WHICH RESULTED IN AN UNLOCKED ENGINE PRIMER AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 1995 · about 6:05 am local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Lake Hood Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco UPF-7 · all UPF-7s on the register
- Registration
- N134Q · registry record · serial 5484
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS CONCLUDING A SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT WITH TWO PASSENGERS IN AN OPEN COCKPIT BIPLANE. WHILE IN A DOWNWIND LANDING PATTERN AT MIDFIELD AND 700 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO LAND ON THE RUNWAY AND PERFORMED AN EMERGENCY LANDING INTO AN OPEN FIELD ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED SOFT MUSKEG, BRUSH AND SMALL TREES. IT CAME TO REST NOSE DOWN IN A NEAR VERTICAL POSITION. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE ENGINE PRIMER WAS FOUND IN THE UNLOCKED POSITION.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 15,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,772 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 23, 1995; 98 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental W-670 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Classic Air Ventures
The flight
- Departed from: Z41
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 2,200 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 150° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 am from ANC, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N134Q the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.