Waco UPF-7 accident near Warrenton, Virginia, August 20, 2023
On August 20, 2023 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 1942 Waco UPF-7, registered N39721, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Warrenton, Virginia (Flying Circus Aerodrome airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
A ground loop during landing resulting from a partial separation of the right main landing gear strut during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 2023 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Warrenton, Virginia · Flying Circus Aerodrome · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco UPF-7, built 1942 · all UPF-7s on the register
- Registration
- N39721 · registry record · serial 5854
- 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 takeoff in the vintage tailwheel-equipped biplane, he was notified via radio that the right main landing gear was partially separated from the airframe. The pilot, returned to the airport and during landing, he continued to fly the airplane down the runway with the right main landing gear in the air until the airplane decelerated and settled onto the turf runway. Once the airplane slowed, it “ground loop[ed]” and came to rest on the nose, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. Postaccident examination revealed that the inner strut had separated from the outer strut but remained partially attached.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing defining event
- Part(s) separation from AC during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Damaged/degraded
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: sport pilot
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2023
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental R-670-6A (piston); 2,560 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,500 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 7:35 pm from HWY, 2 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KHWY 202335Z AUTO 17003KT 10SM CLR 29/15 A3009 RMK AO2 T02910145
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N39721 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 ERA23LA345.