Waco ASO accident near Mt. Vernon, Ohio, June 29, 2002
On June 29, 2002 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Waco ASO, registered NC763E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mt. Vernon, Ohio (Knox County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the left main landing gear attach fitting due to fatigue.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 2002 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mt. Vernon, Ohio · Knox County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco ASO · all ASOs on the register
- Registration
- NC763E · no longer on the register · serial A-114
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after take-off, the pilot noticed that the left main landing gear strut had broken. The pilot flew to another airport with a longer runway and landed. After touchdown, the airplane skidded on the broken landing gear, then flipped over on its back. Visual examination of the left fuselage-fitting eyelet revealed four distinctive regions that were flat, smooth, and dark in color; properties consistent with pre-existing fatigue cracking. Macroscopically, all four regions showed distinct demarcation lines at the edges of the darker area. Two of the fatigue regions originated on the outer surface of the upper washer and propagated partially through the thickness of the washer. Both fatigue regions showed numerous ratchet marks, consistent with multiple origins of initiation. They were located on the outer edges of the fractured region near the weld beads. Both of the regions appeared highly oxidized and were large in area. One of the regions had numerous ratchet marks indicating multiple origins of initiation, while the other had a very defined single initiation site, and both dark and light fatigue areas. The airframe had accrued a total of 1,440 hours at the time of the accident.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,350 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 11,300 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 20, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,440 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 3, 2001; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Wright R-975-11 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6G4 Wynkoop OH at 8:00 pm
- Destination: 4I3 Knox County OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 5,001 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from CMH, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.