Waco WMF-5 accident near Kissimmee, Florida, January 1, 1997
On January 1, 1997 at about 2:55 pm local time, a Waco WMF-5, registered N14128, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kissimmee, Florida (Kissimmee airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain direction control of the airplane after applying the brakes. A factor was the pilot's lack of familiarity with this make and model airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 1, 1997 · about 2:55 pm local time
- Place
- Kissimmee, Florida · Kissimmee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco WMF-5
- Registration
- N14128 · registry record · serial 4213
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing roll, when the pilot applied the brakes to slow the airplane, one brake locked. According to the pilot, after touching down on the runway center line, 'all [was] straight with the rudder control.' When the tail came down the rudder 'authority diminished,' and when the pilot applied the brakes, the airplane departed the runway to the right and nosed over. The pilot stated that he could not control the airplane with the left brake. Examination of the brakes did not reveal any discrepancies. According to the pilot's flight times, shown on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, he had less than 1 hour, (.9) of total flight time in this make and model airplane.
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: single-engine land; instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,004 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,165 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,921 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 19, 1996; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R-755-9 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Waco Flying LTD
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KMC, 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.
Other NTSB records under N14128 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.