Waco Classic 2T-1A-2 N21GL

Summary

On 2 September 2022 at about 18:50 local time, a Waco Classic 2T-1A-2 registered N21GL was involved in an accident near Coldwater, Michigan, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 September 2022 at 18:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Coldwater, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Branch County Meml (OEB)

Coordinates

41.9332, -85.0519

Aircraft

Waco Classic 2T-1A-2

Registration

N21GL

Category

Airplane

Year built

2013

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Battle Creek → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN22LA410

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot receiving instruction’s improper flare during landing and the flight instructor’s inadequate remedial action, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attach and experiencing an aerodynamic stall.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor, who was seated in the front seat, and pilot receiving instruction practiced three landings on the hard surface runway in the tailwheel-equipped airplane. The flight instructor reported that he then asked the pilot to conduct a 3-point landing on the grass adjacent to the runway. The instructor reported that the pilot got high and slow on short final and that he told the pilot to lower the nose and add power. He stated, “[pilot] was slow to respond [and] pulled the nose up (stick fully aft) for the landing.” The instructor stated he was too late to add power, and the airplane stalled about 5 to 8 ft above the grass. The main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over. The instructor reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot receiving instruction reported that while over the grass parallel to the runway threshold, he began to flare the airplane. The instructor stated the flare was initiated too high but to continue the landing. The airplane leveled out, and the instructor stated to “keep pulling.” The pilot reported the instructor began to manipulate the controls with the pilot, and the instructor pulled back on the control stick. The airplane entered an extreme nose-high attitude, stalled, and impacted the terrain. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.