Waco UPF-7 accident near Plymouth, New Hampshire, August 2, 1989
On August 2, 1989 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Waco UPF-7, registered N39752, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plymouth, New Hampshire (Plymouth 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
LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING AN ABORTED TAKEOFF. THE DITCH WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 1989 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Plymouth, New Hampshire · Plymouth
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco UPF-7 · all UPF-7s on the register
- Registration
- N39752 · registry record · serial 5885
- 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 PILOT PERFORMED A PREFLIGHT AND A THOROUGH INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. DURING TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT ACCELERATED NORMALLY, BUT THE PILOT STATED THAT IT FELT SLUGGISH AFTER LIFT OFF, SO HE IMMEDIATELY CUT THE POWER AND ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, STRUCK A DRAINAGE DITCH AND NOSED OVER.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,667 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 1,550 as pilot in command; 65 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,085 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1989; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental W-670-64 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pegasus Air,Inc.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,340 ft by 120 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N39752 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.