Waco UIC accident near Santa Paula, California, February 3, 1991
On February 3, 1991 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Waco UIC, registered N13408, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Paula, California (Santa Paula 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 BRITTLE FRACTURE OF THE LEFT BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER TREAD END CAUSING LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 3, 1991 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Paula, California · Santa Paula · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco UIC · all UICs on the register
- Registration
- N13408 · registry record · serial 3767
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRCRFT VEERED TO THE RIGHT, OFF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE AIRPORT'S TETRAHEDRON, WHICH WAS LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE FOUND THE LEFT BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER HAD BROKEN AND LODGED BETWEEN THE RUDDER PEDAL AND THE FLOOR. THIS RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND PREVENTED THE PILOT FROM MAINTAINING THE AIRCRAFT'S POSITION ON THE RUNWAY.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,446 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 5,298 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental W-670-6A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WHP Whiteman CA at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 2,650 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.