Waco YMF-5C accident near Lihue, Hawaii, December 28, 2005
On December 28, 2005 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Waco YMF-5C, registered N572TB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lihue, Hawaii (Lihue airport). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind condition and failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft on landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 28, 2005 · about 9:45 pm local time · cases in 2005
- Place
- Lihue, Hawaii · Lihue · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco YMF-5C
- Registration
- N572TB · registry record · serial F5C101
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane ground looped and dragged a wing on landing. The pilot stated he was returning from a sightseeing flight with two passengers. The control tower cleared him to land on runway 21. The pilot said his view of the windsock was blocked when he turned downwind to base. When he touched down, the airplane bounced and began to weather cock to the left. The right wing tip made contact with the ground, and the airplane departed the runway into the weeds and ground looped. At the time of the accident, the winds at the airport were from 110 degrees at 10 knots. The pilot said there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 275 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 8,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 993 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 1, 2005; 6.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R755-B2M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LIH Lihue HI at 8:45 pm
- Destination: LIH Lihue HI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 6,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,700 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 10:03 pm from PHLI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N572TB on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Waco 657 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Jacobs R755-B2M 13 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Lihue Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Hawaii 524 since 1982 · 86 in the last ten years
- Hawaii 650 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX06CA078.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.