Waco YKS 7 accident near Millersburg, Ohio, May 13, 2016
On May 13, 2016 at about 3:55 pm local time, a 1937 Waco YKS 7, registered N17734, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Millersburg, Ohio (Holmes County 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 loss of directional control during landing in gusting wind conditions resulting in excessive brake application, and airplane nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 13, 2016 · about 3:55 pm local time
- Place
- Millersburg, Ohio · Holmes County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco YKS 7 NO SERIES, built 1937 · all YKS 7s on the register
- Registration
- N17734 · registry record · serial 4636
- 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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane, he executed a wheel landing in gusting crosswind conditions. He reported that the airplane swerved left, he applied right rudder and right brake to no avail, and then he applied both brakes to prevent a runway excursion. The airplane nosed over and exited the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing strut, rudder and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were not any mechanical anomalies or malfunctions with any portion the airplane prior to the accident that would have prevented normal flight operations.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
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
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 11,570 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 8,475 as pilot in command; 2,118 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 12, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,059 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 6, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 3,250 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs L4 /R755-7 (piston); 2,200 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AAA Lincoln IL at 12:55 pm
- Destination: 10G Millersburg OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 4,400 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 15 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,700 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from KBJJ, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.