Waco KNF accident near Wamsutter, Wyoming, August 15, 1997
On August 15, 1997 at about 5:05 pm local time, a Waco KNF, registered NC698N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wamsutter, Wyoming. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 the precautionary landing. A factor was a wind gust.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 1997 · about 5:05 pm local time
- Place
- Wamsutter, Wyoming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco KNF
- Registration
- NC698N · no longer on the register · serial 3246
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said he encountered a desert wave and when he could not arrest the descent using full power, he chose to make a precautionary landing on a gravel road. He made a wheel landing but a wind gust caused the airplane to become airborne again. As the airplane settled back to the ground, a wind gust lifted the right wing and pitched the nose down. The airplane collided with a ditch and nosed over.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,780 hours in all; 104 in this make and model; 68 in the last 90 days; 68 in the last 30 days; 5,541 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,938 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Kinner K-5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RWL Rawlins WY at 4:00 pm
- Destination: RKS Rock Springs WY
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 27 knots, gusting 38
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 pm from RKS, 49 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under NC698N the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.