Waco UPF-7 N39721

Summary

On 20 August 2023 at about 23:30 local time, a Waco UPF-7 registered N39721 was involved in an accident near Warrenton, Virginia, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 August 2023 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Warrenton, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Flying Circus Aerodrome (3VA3)

Coordinates

38.5504, -77.7158

Aircraft

Waco UPF-7

Registration

N39721

Category

Airplane

Year built

1942

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA23LA345

Nobody was injured.

A ground loop during landing resulting from a partial separation of the right main landing gear strut during takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, after takeoff in the vintage tailwheel-equipped biplane, he was notified via radio that the right main landing gear was partially separated from the airframe. The pilot, returned to the airport and during landing, he continued to fly the airplane down the runway with the right main landing gear in the air until the airplane decelerated and settled onto the turf runway. Once the airplane slowed, it “ground loop[ed]” and came to rest on the nose, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. Postaccident examination revealed that the inner strut had separated from the outer strut but remained partially attached.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.