Waco Classic Aircraft YMF-F5C accident near Moriarty, New Mexico, October 16, 2011
On October 16, 2011 at about 4:57 pm local time, a Waco Classic Aircraft YMF-F5C, registered N415WW, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Moriarty, New Mexico (Moriarty Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 16, 2011 · about 4:57 pm local time
- Place
- Moriarty, New Mexico · Moriarty Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco Classic Aircraft YMF-F5C · all YMF-F5Cs on the register
- Registration
- N415WW · registry record · serial F5C-8-126
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing roll, the airplane swerved, and the pilot attempted to regain control, but due to the heavy boots he was wearing, he inadvertently actuated the toe brakes because the boots masked the feedback from the rudder. The airplane nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the upper wing, rudder, and vertical fin. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Cabin safety event during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Physical › (general) › (general) › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,800 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 2,400 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 20, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 50 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 20, 2011; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R755A2M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pinnacle Waco Leasing INC
The flight
- Departed from: LBL Liberal KS at 1:30 pm
- Destination: 0E0 Moriarty NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 7,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from CQC, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN12CA024.