# Accident 20010722017239A: Maule M5180C, Houghton, MI, July 22, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 22, 2001, 10:44 local time
- Place: Houghton, MI
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.3098° N, 84.7595° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.3098&lon=-84.7595&mi=10
- Aircraft: N56646, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N56646) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Maule M-5-180C (registry code 5460204, https://openairdocs.org/model/maule-m-5-180c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MAULE M5180C
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI01LA224](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI01LA224) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010722017239A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) PILOT ATTEMPTING TAKE OFF ON RUNWAY 35 FROM HOUGHTON HEIGHTS LAKE STATE AIRPORT (5Y2). PILOT STATED THERE WAS NO RESPONSE TO THE AIRCRAFT CONTROLS & HE ABORTED THE TAKE OFF.  AIRCRAFT RAN OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY & IMPACTED TREES.  AIRCRAFT DAMAGE SUBSTANTIAL, NO INJURIES.                  (.19) ON JULY 22, 2001, AT 1044 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A MAULE, M-5-180C, N56646, OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT STRUCK TREES AND THE TERRAIN FOLLOWING TAKE OFF FROM THE HOUGHTON HEIGHTS, LAKE STATE AIRPORT (5Y2), HOUGHTON LAKE, MICHIGAN.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.  THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES.  THE LOCAL FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. IN HIS STATEMENT TO A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTOR, THE PILOT SAID THAT ON TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE TURNED TO THE LEFT.  THE PILOT SAID THAT HE COULD NOT CONTROL IT.  AN FAA INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AT 5Y2.  BOTH WINGS LEADING EDGES SHOWED BENDS AND CRUSHING ALONG THEIR ENTIRE SPANS.  ONE WING WAS TWISTED AFT.  THE COWLING AND FUS ELAGE SHOWED BENDS AND WRINKLES. THE PROPELLER SHOWED CHORDWISE SCRATCHES.  SEVERAL TREE SAPLINGS IN THE VICINITY OF WHERE THE AIRPLANE CAME TO A STOP WERE SEVERED.  FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY BETWEEN THE COCKPIT AND ALL CONTROL SURFACES WAS CONFIRMED.  AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE, ENGINE CONTROLS, AND OTHER AIRPLANE SYSTEMS REVEALED NO ANOMALIES.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI01LA224](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI01LA224), Jul 22, 2001: Maule M-5-180C (N56646), Houghton Lake, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff run. A factor relating to this accident was the trees.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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