Waco 10 GXE accident near Americus, Georgia, April 23, 1998
On April 23, 1998 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Waco 10 GXE, registered N903H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Americus, Georgia (Souther Field). 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 directional control and his improper compensation for wind. Contributing was a crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 1998 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Americus, Georgia · Souther Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco 10 GXE · all 10 GXEs on the register
- Registration
- N903H · registry record · serial 2037
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Upon landing roll-out on runway 05, with predominately west winds being reported in the area, the airplane weather-cocked left, started a right-side-leading skid, departed the left edge of the runway and collapsed the right main landing gear strut.
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: 3,182 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 3,182 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,930 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1997; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental W-670-6N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CTY Cross City FL at 2:30 pm
- Destination: ACJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 5,021 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 4,600 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from MC, 51 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 N903H 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.