Waco UPF-7 accident near Wallace, California, August 25, 1991
On August 25, 1991 at about 2:30 am local time, a Waco UPF-7, registered N30107, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wallace, California (Flying Ranch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY ALIGN HIS AIRPLANE WITH THE RUNWAY AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS RELATED TO THE PRESENCE OF ROUGH AND DOWNHILL TERRAIN ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 1991 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Wallace, California · Flying Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco UPF-7 · all UPF-7s on the register
- Registration
- N30107 · registry record · serial 5504
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF HIS AIRPLANE AS HE WAS BEGINNING THE TAKEOFF ROLL FROM HIS PRIVATELY OWNED 1200-FOOT LONG DIRT RUNWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THIS AIRPLANE WAS 'NOT ALIGNED' WITH THE RUNWAY, SO HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. AS THE AIRPLANE WAS ROLLING TO A STOP ON THE ADJACENT DOWNHILL AND ROUGH TERRAIN, IT COLLIDED WITH FENCE POSTS AND A DIRT BANK WHEREUPON THE MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,204 hours in all; 646 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental 67A-6A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 1,200 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°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.