Waco Classic Aircraft YMF-F5C accident near Stuart, Florida, April 4, 2007
On April 4, 2007 at about 3:17 pm local time, a Waco Classic Aircraft YMF-F5C, registered N35MM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stuart, Florida (Witham Field). 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 takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 4, 2007 · about 3:17 pm local time
- Place
- Stuart, Florida · Witham Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco Classic Aircraft YMF-F5C · all YMF-F5Cs on the register
- Registration
- N35MM · registry record · serial F5C-094
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane ground looped during takeoff. The pilot reported that he had been doing full stop landings. On his sixth takeoff the plane veered slightly left due to P-factor. He corrected with right rudder. His rudder application had minimal effect, so he added more right rudder, which caused the plane to ground loop to the right. The ground loop substantially damaged the right wing. The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,800 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R755-BZM (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KSUA Stuart FL at 3:17 pm
- Destination: KSUA Stuart FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 5,826 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N35MM 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.