Waco CTO accident near Ridgeland, South Carolina, March 29, 2016
On March 29, 2016 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1929 Waco CTO, registered N744H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ridgeland, South Carolina (Ridgeland airport). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 2016 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ridgeland, South Carolina · Ridgeland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco CTO NO SERIES, built 1929 · all CTOs on the register
- Registration
- N744H · registry record · serial A-95
- 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 tailwheel-equipped bi-plane reported that during the landing roll, the bi-plane started turning to the right, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the nose of the bi-plane impacted the ground. The bi-plane sustained substantial damage to the left lower wing. According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine 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
- 552230 during descent - emergency
- 552300 during descent - emergency
- 552060 during descent - emergency
- 552094 during descent - emergency
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea, none, none, glider
- Flight time: 5,357 hours in all; 767 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 4,829 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 15, 2015
- Medical certificate: class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Wright 760E-2 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: 3J1 Ridgeland SC at 5:45 pm
- Destination: 3J1 Ridgeland SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 03, 2,692 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scattered at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°C, dew point 43°C
- Altimeter: 30.110001 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from KNBC, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 GAA16CA170.