Waco YMF-5 accident near Jamestown, Rhode Island, August 28, 1991
On August 28, 1991 at about 10:55 pm local time, a Waco YMF-5, registered N44JS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jamestown, Rhode Island. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT, RESULTING IN CARBURETOR ICE FORMATION AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND A FORCED LANDING IN TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 1991 · about 10:55 pm local time
- Place
- Jamestown, Rhode Island
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco YMF-5
- Registration
- N44JS · registry record · serial 00016
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID, 'I SET UP...A GLIDE. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING ROUGH...WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING WITH POWER AGAIN, I WAS TOO LOW.' THE PILOT DID NOT USE THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL. THE TEMPERATURE WAS 82 DEG., AND THE DEW POINT WAS 71 DEG. THESE CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE TO THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICING, ACCORDING TO THE FAA CHART ICING PROBABILITY CHART.
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
- Flight time: 838 hours in all; 335 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 774 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,770 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs 755 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OQU N. Kingston RI at 10:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 215° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
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 N44JS 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.