Waco UPF-7 accident near Good Hope, Illinois, June 4, 1994
On June 4, 1994 at about 2:35 pm local time, a Waco UPF-7, registered N29952, was destroyed in an accident near Good Hope, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHILE MANEUVERING. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S IMPAIRMENT DUE TO USE OF A PRESCRIPTION DRUG THAT WAS NOT APPROVED FOR USE WHILE FLYING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 1994 · about 2:35 pm local time
- Place
- Good Hope, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco UPF-7 · all UPF-7s on the register
- Registration
- N29952 · registry record · serial 5449
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ON A LOCAL FLIGHT WHEN THE AIRPLANE CRASHED. A WITNESS, WHO DID NOT SEE THE AIRPLANE, REPORTED THAT HE HEARD THE SOUND OF THE ENGINE 'CUTTING OUT AND STARTING BACK UP.' A SECOND WITNESS, WHO WAS DRIVING A TRACTOR, SAW THE AIRPLANE, BUT DID NOT HEAR IT. HE STATED THE AIRPLANE MADE 'A COUPLE WIDE CIRCLES GOING DOWN FAIRLY FAST AS IT DID.' ACCORDING TO A POLICE REPORT, THE SECOND WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT IN A 'NOSEDIVE, TAILSPIN.' THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED IN AN OPEN FIELD AT A SLIGHT ANGLE, THEN SKIDDED. WRECKAGE WAS FOUND OVER A 379 FT AREA. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO PREIMPACT ANOMALIES OF THE AIRFRAME OR ENGINE. TOXICOLOGY TESTS OF THE PILOT'S LIVER TISSUE SHOWED 4.0 MG/KG OF IMIPRAMINE AND 2.0 MG/KG OF DESIPRAMINE. THE PILOT'S MEDICAL RECORDS REVEALED THAT SHE HAD BEEN PRESCRIBED ANTIDEPRESSANTS FOR OVER 2 YEARS, BUT SHE HAD NOT REPORTED THIS ON HER APPLICATION FOR FAA MEDICAL CERTIFICATION.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,431 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 229 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 3, 1994; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental W-670 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IL15 Bushnell IL at 1:45 pm
- Destination: IL15
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:35 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.