Waco RBA accident near Temple, Texas, April 3, 2004
On April 3, 2004 at about 4:14 pm local time, a Waco RBA, registered N12444, was substantially damaged in an accident near Temple, Texas (Draughon-Miller Central Texas 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 directional control during the landing roll. A contributing factor was the locked wheel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 2004 · about 4:14 pm local time
- Place
- Temple, Texas · Draughon-Miller Central Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco RBA
- Registration
- N12444 · registry record · serial 3593
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot lost directional control of the vintage bi-plane during the landing roll. The 192-hour pilot configured the tailwheel equipped airplane to land on Runway 15. Runway 15 was 6,301 feet long by 150 feet wide and has an asphalt surface. The pilot stated that he configured for a power-on wheel landing. Touchdown on the main landing gear was "normal." As power decreased, the airplane began to slow down, the pilot added forward stick to keep the tail "off" as long as possible. During the landing roll, the right wing "began to lift." As the wing came up, the pilot applied left brake and he applied a little aileron. The left brake "locked up," and the aircraft nosed-over, onto its top wing. The winds at the airport at 0955 were reported from 320 degrees at 3 knots.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 192 hours in all; 103 in this make and model; 129 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 18, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,552.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 14, 2003; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,985 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Warner S-40 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TPL Temple TX at 3:30 pm
- Destination: TPL Temple TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 6,301 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from TPL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 FTW04LA102.