Waco UBF accident near Tampa, Florida, July 31, 2025
On July 31, 2025 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1932 Waco UBF, registered N1244G, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Tampa, Florida (Peter O Knight 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with an object.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 2025 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Tampa, Florida · Peter O Knight · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco UBF, built 1932 · all UBFs on the register
- Registration
- N1244G · registry record · serial 3607
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the vintage, bi-wing, tailwheel airplane reported that he was performing a wheel landing. The airplane touched down on the main wheels and had slowed enough for the tailwheel to touch down. During the landing rollout, after slowing to about 5 knots, a gust of wind struck the airplane and it veered right off of the runway and into the grass. The lower left wing struck the housing of a precision approach path indicator light, substantially damaging it, and the airplane came to rest upright. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,066 hours in all; 187 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 36 in the last 30 days; 5,979 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 30, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,187 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2025; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor W-670-N (piston); 2,187 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VNC Venice FL at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,583 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 2:01 pm from TPA, 6 miles away
Weather report (METAR): SPECI KTPA 311801Z 18013KT 10SM TS SCT035CB 31/23 A3010 RMK AO2 TSB1755 OCNL LTGIC SE AND DSNT NE TS SE MOV SE CB DSNT NE T03060233=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on November 20, 2025. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | 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.