Waco YMF-5 accident near Taos, New Mexico, September 7, 2003
On September 7, 2003 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Waco YMF-5, registered N455RT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Taos, New Mexico (Taos Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing roll which resulted in the subsequent ground loop/swerve and impact with the ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 2003 · about 4:15 pm local time · cases in 2003
- Place
- Taos, New Mexico · Taos Regional · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco YMF-5
- Registration
- N455RT · registry record · serial 0018
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, after completing a "wheel landing" on runway 04, the airplane began to "fishtail." As he applied rudder control, the airplane's right wing dipped and the right main landing gear departed the right side of the runway. When he applied go-around power, the airplane departed the right side of the runway, and struck a ditch.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,272 hours in all; 311 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 4,221 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 6, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 311 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2003; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R755B2W (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAF Santa Fe NM at 4:00 pm
- Destination: SKX Taos NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 5,798 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 90 ft; scat at 13 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 4:15 pm from KSKX
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.
Other NTSB records under N455RT the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N455RT on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Waco 657 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Jacobs R755B2W 210 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Taos Regional · nearest airport
- Santa FE Regional · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in New Mexico 1,423 since 1982 · 184 in the last ten years
- New Mexico 3,111 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N455RT 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/DEN03LA151.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.