19970503007649A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Maule M-5-210C · West Fargo, ND · May 3, 1997

Date: May 3, 1997 · 09:30 local
Place: West Fargo, ND
Airport: West Fargo Utility Airport
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N290X
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI97LA120
Reported as: Maule M5210C
Fatal injuries: 0

N290XRegistered now · Maule M-5-210CS/N 6114C · Built 1975 Airframe modelMaule M-5-210C Engine modelContinental IO-360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Aircraft attempting to land on taxiway when it settled into water at edge of taxiway and flipped over. (-23) the owner/pilot conducted the flight under CFR 14 part 91 to re-position the aircraft to its home airport where a hangar for the aircraft was located. The aircraft had been moved earlier to prevent possible flood damage. On approach to a taxiway that was being used as a temporary runway, the aircraft settled into shallow water that surrounded the taxiway end on three sides. The taxiway was immediately adjacent to a row of hangars. The crash site was immediately down wind from the hangars. The wind blowing over the hangars produced turbulence and possible wind shearing effect causing the aircraft to settle into the shallow water and flip over, coming to rest on the intended taxiway/runway. No injuries resulted and the aircraft received substantial damage. No fire ensued.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON TAXIWAY WHEN IT SETTLED INTO WATER AT EDGE OF TAXIWAY AND FLIPPED OVER. (-23) THE OWNER/PILOT CONDUCTED THE FLIGHT UNDER CFR 14 PART 91 TO RE-POSITION THE AIRCRAFT TO ITS HOME AIRPORT WHERE A HANGAR FOR THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN MOVED EARLIER TO PREVENT POSSIBLE FLOOD DAMAGE. ON APPROACH TO A TAXIWAY THAT WAS BEING USED AS A TEMPORARY RUNWAY, THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED INTO SHALLOW WATER THAT SURROUNDED THE TAXIWAY END ON THREE SIDES. THE TAXIWAY WAS IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO A ROW OF HANGARS. THE CRASH SITE WAS IMMEDIATELY DOWN WIND FROM THE HANGARS. THE WIND BLOWING OVER THE HANGARS PRODUCED TURBULENCE AND POSSIBLE WIND SHEARING EFFECT CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO SETTLE INTO THE SHALLOW WATER AND FLIP OVER, COMING TO REST ON THE INTENDED TAXIWAY/RUNWAY. NO INJURIES RESULTED AND THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. NO FIRE ENSUED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI97LA120Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWest Fargo, NDthe pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, and his failure to attain a proper touchdown point. Factors relating to the accident were: the unfavorable wind conditions, and the terrain condition where the airplane touched down.May 3, 1997 · Substantial damage