Waco DSO accident near Keene, New Hampshire, August 28, 1990
On August 28, 1990 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Waco DSO, registered N613N, was destroyed in an accident near Keene, New Hampshire (Wilson Pond 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
ABORTED TAKEOFF WITH INSUFFICIENT ROOM AVAILABLE TO STOP. THE PILOT'S DELAYED DECISION TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 1990 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Keene, New Hampshire · Wilson Pond
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco DSO · all DSOs on the register
- Registration
- N613N · registry record · serial 3047
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A TAKEOFF IN A FLOAT EQUIPPED AIRPLANE. THE LAKE SURFACE WAS 3000 FEET LONG AND SMOOTH (GLASSY). THE PILOT SAID IT TOOK LONGER TO GET ONTO THE STEP AND GET AIRBORNE. ONCE AIRBORNE, HE SAID HE FELT HE WOULD NOT CLEAR THE TREES AT THE EDGE OF THE LAKE AND ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. HE SETTLED TO THE LAKE SURFACE AND RAN INTO TREES AT THE END OF THE LAKE. THE FAA REPORTED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 486 hours in all; 112 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 383 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental R-670-G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: EEN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:15 am
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.