Waco UPF7 accident near Seal Beach, California, May 15, 1983
On May 15, 1983 at about 8:39 pm local time, a Waco UPF7, registered N29962, was substantially damaged in an accident near Seal Beach, California. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 15, 1983 · about 8:39 pm local time
- Place
- Seal Beach, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco UPF7 · all UPF7s on the register
- Registration
- N29962 · registry record · serial 5459
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS LANDED ON A BEACH HIGHWAY AFTER THE ENGINE QUIT AT 800 FEET MSL. THE ACFT DAMAGE DURING THE LANDING WAS LIMITED TO A BROKEN LANDING STRUT, BENT PROPELLER BLADE AND FRACTURED FRONT AND REAR SPARS OF THE RIGHT WING. THE FLIGHTWAS A SCENIC EXCURSION BY THE PILOT WITH ONE PASSENGER. AFTER THE LANDING THE SIGHT GAUGES READ EMPTY FOR THE LEFT TANK AND LESS THAN ONE QUARTER FOR THE RIGHT FUEL TANK. THE FUEL CAPS WERE FOUND TO BE INSTALLED BACKWARDS WHICH WOULD CAUSE NEGATIVE PRESSURE ON THE TANKS. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS FLYING WITH THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR ON BOTH WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT.HE SAID HE TRIED ALL POSITIONS FOR RESTART WITH NO SUCCESS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,590 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 2,375 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 18, 1982; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental W670-5A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Huntington Bch. GA at 1:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 LAX83LA232.