Waco GXE accident near Provincetown, Massachusetts, May 25, 2008
On May 25, 2008 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Waco GXE, registered N312DC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Provincetown, Massachusetts (Provincetown Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 2008 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Provincetown, Massachusetts · Provincetown Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco GXE · all GXEs on the register
- Registration
- N312DC · registry record · serial 781
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of a Waco stated to the responding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that while performing a full stall landing, the airplane veered to the right upon touchdown. He applied left rudder and aileron to maintain directional control while attempting to stop, but the aircraft continued to the right. Due to the pilot's concentration on the rudder pedals, he was unable to reach heel brakes to apply differential braking pressure resulting in the right wheel exiting the runway and subsequent ground loop. The pilot did not report any mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 150 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 1, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental R-670 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVC Provincetown MA
- Destination: PVC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 3,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from PVC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 MIA08CA107.