Waco UPF 7 accident near Ocklawaha, Florida, September 28, 2017
On September 28, 2017 at about 11:21 pm local time, a 1942 Waco UPF 7, registered N29909, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Ocklawaha, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A failure of both magnetos due to multiple deficiencies, which resulted in a total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 28, 2017 · about 11:21 pm local time
- Place
- Ocklawaha, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco UPF 7 NO SERIES, built 1942 · all UPF 7s on the register
- Registration
- N29909 · registry record · serial 5406
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot stated that, while maneuvering during the local flight, the engine magneto indicator illuminated and one of the engine's magnetos failed, followed shortly after by the other magneto, which resulted in a total loss of engine power. The pilot landed the airplane in a stand of trees before it nosed over, fell 60 ft to the ground, and came to rest on its nose with the tail section in the air; the airplane sustained damage to the top and bottom wings and the firewall. Postaccident examination of the magnetos revealed that both magnetos had "bad (out of range on impedance)" secondary windings on the coil. The points exhibited a white powder, consistent with the capacitor in the secondary windings of each magneto failing or having failed. Both rotors were cracked, and the pencil springs in both distributor caps were rusted. Damage was also noted to several of the ignition leads (the left magneto had three faulty leads, and the right magneto had one faulty lead). An automotive ignition harness was installed on the magnetos as part of an approved automotive conversion kit; the examination representative indicated that the auto ignition wire has a higher amount of resistance that the magnetos were not designed to handle. Thus, it is likely that some combination of these deficiencies ultimately resulted in the in-flight failure of the magnetos and the subsequent loss of engine power.
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 engine power (total) during maneuvering defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Ignition system › Magneto/distributor › Failure
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,725 hours in all; 723 in this make and model
- Last flight review: October 16, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,431.2 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, October 13, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 3,095 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Vedeneyev M-14P (piston); 323 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2FD1 Hobby Hill FL at 10:55 pm
- Destination: FA38 Oklawaha FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.78 inHg
- Observation at 9:30 pm from VVG, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on September 26, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | NTSB Record of Conversation - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Witness Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Maintenance Records | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Email from Pilot - Engine Total Time | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | NTSB Summary of Examination - Magneto Testing at M-14P | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.