Classic Aircraft CORP WACO YMF accident near Dunnellon, Florida, November 16, 2009
On November 16, 2009 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Classic Aircraft CORP WACO YMF, registered N89B, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Dunnellon, Florida (Dunnellon/Marion County 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The certified flight instructor’s delayed response to the student pilot's loss of directional control while landing, which resulted in a ground-loop. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot's loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 16, 2009 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Dunnellon, Florida · Dunnellon/Marion County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Classic Aircraft CORP WACO YMF · all WACO YMFs on the register
- Registration
- N89B · registry record · serial F5-006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was receiving instruction in a tailwheel-equipped biplane from a certified flight instructor (CFI). During the second landing, the student pilot landed the airplane on the runway fast and bounced; the airplane started to veer left. The student pilot corrected with right rudder application. The CFI applied full left rudder when the airplane veered to the right again, which had no effect on the airplane’s direction of travel; the student pilot then applied right brake during the CFI’s correction. The airplane continued right until it ground-looped. The biplane incurred substantial damage to both upper wings and the left lower wing. The flight crew reported no mechanical deficiencies prior to the accident.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 800 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 750 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 17, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,840 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 76 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 5,616 as pilot in command; 2,704 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 16, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,245 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 13, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R755B SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X49 Lakeland FL at 3:45 pm
- Destination: X35 Dunnellon FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,702 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 4:30 pm from OCF, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N89B the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ERA10CA076.