Classic Aircraft CORP WACO YMF accident near Somerville, New Jersey, October 15, 2013
On October 15, 2013 at about 4:55 pm local time, a 1989 Classic Aircraft CORP WACO YMF, registered N62XX, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Somerville, New Jersey (Somerset 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 aircraft control while applying wheel brakes during landing roll resulting in the airplane nosing over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 2013 · about 4:55 pm local time
- Place
- Somerville, New Jersey · Somerset Airport · 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 NO SERIES, built 1989 · all WACO YMFs on the register
- Registration
- N62XX · registry record · serial F5-027
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that she departed from runway 26, and flew over a local golf course, then turned to return to the departure airport where she entered the traffic pattern on the downwind leg for runway 26, flying between 75 and 80 knots. She descended to 800 feet and prior to turning base leg she slowed to between 65 and 70 knots, which she maintained on base and final. She turned onto base leg and descended to 500 feet and at that altitude turned onto final approach for runway 26 slowing at touchdown. She performed a wheel landing a few feet farther along the runway than typical or "a little long" which she described as abeam the western edge of the hangars. The airplane travelled onto a portion of the runway that causes undulations and with aft stick applied after encountering the undulations, she tapped the brakes. The airplane then nosed over. She further reported that there was nothing mechanically wrong with the airplane that caused the nose over, and the area of the runway where the undulations were located also was not the cause of the accident. Various video recordings depicted the approach and nose-over sequence; however, the actual touchdown point was not captured. An individual at the accident airport provided a reference for where the airplane came to rest, which was located before a diagonal line that is visible in a Google Earth image. Plotting on Google Earth of the pilot reported touchdown point indicates that position was located about 800 down the 2,200 foot long grass runway, which has the west 500 feet described as being unsuitable for takeoff or landing due to uneven surface. Therefore, the pilot reported touchdown point occurred nearly halfway down the usable length of runway. Although the exact location where the airplane came to rest was not documented, based on video recording, that was located about 500 feet from the pilot reported touchdown point.
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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,390 hours in all; 67 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: August 5, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,100 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 583 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 15, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,770 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R755B SERIES (piston); 583 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SMQ Somerville NJ at 4:40 pm
- Destination: SMQ Somerville NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,200 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,700 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from SMQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 ERA14CA012.