# Accident 20010731017819A: Maule M7235C, Flagstaff, AZ, July 31, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 31, 2001, 07:10 local time - Place: Flagstaff, AZ - Airport: Flagstaff Pulliam Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 35.1419° N, 111.6742° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1419&lon=-111.6742&mi=10 - Aircraft: N17FR, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N17FR) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Maule M-7-235C (registry code 5460110, https://openairdocs.org/model/maule-m-7-235c) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MAULE M7235C - Reported engine: LYC IO540W1A5 - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 807 total, 32 in this make and model, 42 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01LA266](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA266) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010731017819A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON JULY 31, 2001, AT 0656 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A MAULE M-7-235C, N17FR, GROUND LOOPED AFTER LANDING AT THE FLAGSTAFF PULLIAM AIRPORT, FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA. THE AIRPLANE WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PRIVATE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91, AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE INTERVIEWED THE PILOT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS GOING TO GO OUT AND PRACTICE THREE-POINT LANDINGS, TOUCH-AND-GO TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS, AND THEN MAYBE DO SOME FLYING AROUND THE AREA. THERE WERE NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED WITH THE FIRST LANDING. ON THE SECOND LANDING, TOUCHDOWN WAS NORMAL, AND THEN THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY AND GROUND LOOPED. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE WEATHER WAS OVERCAST WITH SOME HAZE, BUT THAT THE WINDS WERE CALM. HE FURTHER INDICATED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL DIFFICULTIES NOTES WITH THE AIRPLANE. (-23) AIRMAN WAS PRACTICING "WHEEL LANDINGS" AND AFTER TOUCHING DOWN, THE AIRCRAFT WAS VEERING TOWARD THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRMAN ATTEMP TED TO COMPENSATE BY ADDING LEFT RUDDER, BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE AIRCRAFT EXITED THE RUNWAY TO THE RIGHT AND "NOSED OVER" INTO AN EMBANKMENT. THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR WAS SHEARED OFF, THE PROP WAS DESTROYED, AND THE RIGHT WING SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. (.4) ON JULY 31, 2001, AT 0710 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A MAULE M-7-235C, N17FR, GROUND LOOPED AFTER LANDING AT THE FLAGSTAFF PULLIAM AIRPORT, FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA. THE AIRPLANE WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PRIVATE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91, AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT AND A PILOT-RATED PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT THAT DEPARTED AT 0635, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR INTERVIEWED THE PILOT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS GOING TO GO OUT AND PRACTICE THREE-POINT LANDINGS, TOUCH-AND-GO TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS, AND THEN MAYBE DO SOME FLYING AROUND THE AREA. THERE WERE NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED WITH THE FIRST LANDING. ON THE SECOND LANDING, TOUCHDOWN WAS NORMAL, AND THEN THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY AND GROUND LOOPED. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE WEATHER WAS OVERCAST WITH SOME HAZE, BUT THAT THE WINDS WERE CALM. HE FURTHER INDICATED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL DIFFICULTIES NOTED WITH THE AIRPLANE. IN THE PILOT'S WRITTEN STATEMENT TO THE SAFETY BOARD, HE INDICATED THAT ON THE SECOND LANDING HE FLARED "A LITTLE BIT HIGH." AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED, WHICH HE STATED, WASN'T SERIOUS AND ATTEMPTED TO "FIX IT." THE AIRPLANE STARTED AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO THE RIGHT, AND HE WASN'T ABLE TO APPLY ENOUGH LEFT RUDDER TO RETURN TO RUNWAY CENTERLINE, SO HE ADDED POWER AT THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY. HE WAS NEAR AN EMBANKMENT OFF TO THE SIDE OF RUNWAY 21'S TAXIWAY. HE APPLIED FULL POWER, HOPING TO TURN THE AIRPLANE BEFORE IT COLLIDED WITH THE EMBANKMENT. THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO TURN TO THE LEFT AND ENCOUNTERED ANOTHER EMBANKMENT. HE ATTEMPTED TO JUMP THE AIRPLANE OVER THE EMBANKMENT; HOWEVER, THE LANDING GEAR CAUGHT PART OF THE EMBANKMENT AND THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED OVER AND ONTO THE RUNWAY. HE SHUTOFF THE AIRPLANE AND HE AND HIS PASSENGER EXITED THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. ## 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 LAX01LA266](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA266), Jul 31, 2001: Maule M-7-235C (N17FR), Flagstaff, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing and his failure to maintain directional control, resulting in a ground loop. ## Other reports on N17FR (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19990907035359I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990907035359I), Sep 7, 1999: Maule M7235 (N17FR), Ruby, AK, Damage unknown. (-23) Maul aircraft spotted up-side down on a gravel bar on the melozitno river near Ruby AK. Acft spotted by state troopers. The incident was not reported. - [Incident 19980413011639I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980413011639I), Apr 13, 1998: Maule M7235 (N17FR), Scottsdale, AZ, No damage. Narrative: during landing rollout, aircraft tail lifted up (due to gusty winds), pilot elected to apply brakes, causing nose of aircraft to pitch forward… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.