Waco YMF accident near Key West, Florida, October 15, 1986
On October 15, 1986 at about 10:48 pm local time, a Waco YMF, registered N99Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Key West, Florida (Key West International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 1986 · about 10:48 pm local time
- Place
- Key West, Florida · Key West International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco YMF · all YMFs on the register
- Registration
- N99Y · registry record · serial F5-002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT NOSED OVER DURING LANDING ROLL. THE PROFESSIONAL PLT STATED THAT HE WAS CERTAIN THE BRAKES WERE OFF PRIOR TO TAKEOFF AND THAT HE WAS SURE HE WAS NOT 'RIDING' THE BRAKED ON LANDING. THE PLT STATED THAT HE THOUGHT THE PARKING BRAKE MAY HAVE COME ON DURING FLT. THE BRAKES APPEARED TO FUNCTION NORMALLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE REASON FOR THE NOSE OVER COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,500 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 89 in the last 90 days; 8,100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 40 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R-755B2M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,800 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from EYW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N99Y the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.