Waco UPF-7 accident near Owatonna, Minnesota, October 1, 2002
On October 1, 2002 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Waco UPF-7, registered N32039, was substantially damaged in an accident near Owatonna, Minnesota (Owatonna Muni airport). It was an instructional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The remedial action not performed by the certified flight instructor (CFI) during the bounced landing and directional control not maintained during the go-around by CFI. Contributing factors were the CFIs preflight planning/preparation in placing the dual student in the rear seat, the limited ability for visual detection from the rear seat, and the lack of instructional experience of the CFI in the make and model of the accident airplane. The gusts and crosswind were additional factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 1, 2002 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Owatonna, Minnesota · Owatonna Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco UPF-7 · all UPF-7s on the register
- Registration
- N32039 · registry record · serial 5670
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instructional flight resulted in substantial damage to the airplane during a go-around from a bounced landing when it veered off runway 30, impacted the runway's precision approach path indicator light unit, and nosed over in a ditch. The wind was from 360 degrees at 14 knots gusting to 18 knots. The dual student was receiving tailwheel training from a certified flight instructor (CFI), which began earlier in the day in a Champion 7ECA and transitioned to a Waco UPF-7, which was owned by the CFI. The fourth flight of the day was to serve as a transition for landing on a hard surface runway in the Waco UPF-7. The first landing on the hard surface runway was reported as successful. The second landing resulted in a bounced landing followed by a go-around. The third landing resulted in a bounced landing followed by a go-around attempt at which point there was a reported transfer of controls to the CFI. The Waco UPF-7 was described in a publication as having little visibility straight ahead. The publication suggested that CFIs have at least 20 hours in the specific model of tailwheel airplane in which they want to give instruction in. All of the flights were accomplished with the CFI occupying the front seat and the dual student in the rear seat. The CFI reported a total flight time of 17 hours as instructor in Waco UPF-7 airplanes, of which about 3 hours were accumulated on the day of the accident. The dual student had a tailwheel endorsement and accumulated total flight time 2.7 hours in the accident airplane.
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 instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 15,500 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 13,800 as pilot in command; 1,400 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 25, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,423 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 2,356 as pilot in command; 787 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,488.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 25, 2002; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental W670-6N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OWA Owatonna MN at 8:00 pm
- Destination: OWA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 14 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 2:20 am from OWA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
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.