Waco YMF-5 accident near Carlsbad, California, February 24, 1994
On February 24, 1994 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Waco YMF-5, registered N50YM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carlsbad, California (Mcclellan-Palomar airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE CORRECT PROCEDURES WHEN HE RELEASED THE PARKING BRAKE. THE INADVERTENTLY ENGAGED PARKING BRAKE AND THE OUTDATED FLIGHT MANUAL WERE FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 24, 1994 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Carlsbad, California · Mcclellan-Palomar · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco YMF-5
- Registration
- N50YM · no longer on the register · serial F5C-053
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS COMPLETING A LOCAL AREA MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT WHEN IT NOSED OVER ON LANDING. AFTER PERFORMING A GROUND RUN-UP IN THE MAINTENANCE AREA, THE PILOT FAILED TO PROPERLY RELEASE THE PARKING BRAKE BEFORE DEPARTING ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. THE OWNER DID NOT UPDATE THE AIRPLANE'S FLIGHT MANUAL. THE UPDATED VERSION CONTAINED A CAUTION NOTE ON RELEASING THE PARKING BRAKE PROCEDURE. THIS CAUTION NOTE WAS NOT A REQUIRED PLACARD. THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL PARKING BRAKE RELEASING PROCEDURE DIFFERED FROM THE AIRPLANE'S FLIGHT MANUAL.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,316 hours in all; 170 in this make and model; 74 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 2,203 as pilot in command; 1,350 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 298 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 23, 1994; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R-755-B2V (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,700 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°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.
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.