Waco UPF-7 accident near St Petersburg, Florida, February 14, 1988
On February 14, 1988 at about 8:38 pm local time, a Waco UPF-7, registered N29368, was substantially damaged in an accident near St Petersburg, Florida (Albert-Whitted airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- February 14, 1988 · about 8:38 pm local time
- Place
- St Petersburg, Florida · Albert-Whitted · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco UPF-7 · all UPF-7s on the register
- Registration
- N29368 · registry record · serial 5395
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT WHILE ON APCH TO LAND, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. DURING AN ATTEMPT TO LAND ON RUNWAY 36 THE ACFT STALLED & NOSED IN FROM AN APPROXIMATE 50 FOOT ALTITUDE. NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE AS TO THE NATURE OF THE MALFUNCTION OF THE ENGINE AS DESCRIBED BY THE PILOT. HOWEVER, CONDITIONS EXISTED FOR CARB ICE AND THE PILOT WAS NOT UTILIZING CARB HEAT.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,310 hours in all; 175 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 1,267 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,682 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 22, 1987; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental W-670-6A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SPG
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,800 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from PIE, 10 miles away
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.