Waco YMF-5 accident near Marathon, Florida, March 31, 1990
On March 31, 1990 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Waco YMF-5, registered N89B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marathon, Florida (Marathon airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING TAKEOFF, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT GROUND SWERVE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE CROSSWIND, THE PILOT'S EXCESSIVE COMPENSATION FOR THE WIND CONDITION, AND HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 31, 1990 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Marathon, Florida · Marathon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco YMF-5
- Registration
- N89B · registry record · serial F5006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE APPLIED FULL LEFT AILERON FOR TAKEOFF IN A SLIGHT LEFT CROSSWIND. AS THE TAIL ROSE DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER, BUT THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY IN THE DIRECTION OF PARKED AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT REDUCED THE THROTTLE SETTING TO IDLE, AND SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. THE PILOT HAD ONLY ABOUT 5 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME IN THIS TAILWHEEL EQUIPPED AIRCRAFT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 330 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 95 as pilot in command; 4 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 376 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 11, 1989; 82 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R-755-B2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTH at 6:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 5,008 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from EYW, 26 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N89B the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 MIA90LA098.