What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Mr. Henderson was completing a flight to the Ultralight/flight park (OGE3) located in Trenton, GA in his Maule (MXT-7-180A) aircraft. The field is short and he accurately described the short field technique required to land in this area. As he conducted a steep approach into the field, he attempted to add power at the bottom of the approach, to shallow the approach angle, and the engine did not respond. All he could do at this point was go along for the ride. When the aircraft struck the ground, the left main wheel (and axle) separated from the aircraft and the left strut folded under the aircraft. The nose gear collapsed under the nose of the aircraft and the aircraft slid and came to rest right side up approximately 200 feet from the initial point of touchdown. An engine teardown was conducted by the NTSB on 10-08-02. (See attached document). The engine was idling low (less then 500 RPM). The engine initially quit when the throttle was abruptly advanced from the idle position. The idle RPM was adjusted to 700 RPM and it continued to run smoothly when the power was "rapidly advanced and the engine continued to run."
As the FAA filed it
(-23) MR. HENDERSON WAS COMPLETING A FLIGHT TO THE ULTRALIGHT/FLIGHT PARK (OGE3) LOCATED IN TRENTON, GA IN HIS MAULE (MXT-7-180A) AIRCRAFT. THE FIELD IS SHORT AND HE ACCURATELY DESCRIBED THE SHORT FIELD TECHNIQUE REQUIRED TO LAND IN THIS AREA. AS HE CONDUCTED A STEEP APPROACH INTO THE FIELD, HE ATTEMPTED TO ADD POWER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE APPROACH, TO SHALLOW THE APPROACH ANGLE, AND THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. ALL HE COULD DO AT THIS POINT WAS GO ALONG FOR THE RIDE. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND, THE LEFT MAIN WHEEL (AND AXLE) SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND THE LEFT STRUT FOLDED UNDER THE AIRCRAFT. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED UNDER THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE AIRCRAFT SLID AND CAME TO REST RIGHT SIDE UP APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET FROM THE INITIAL POINT OF TOUCHDOWN. AN ENGINE TEARDOWN WAS CONDUCTED BY THE NTSB ON 10-08-02. (SEE ATTACHED DOCUMENT). THE ENGINE WAS IDLING LOW (LESS THEN 500 RPM). THE ENGINE INITIALLY QUIT WHEN THE THROTTLE WAS ABRUPTLY ADVANCED FROM THE IDLE POSITION. THE IDLE RPM WAS ADJUSTED TO 700 RPM AND IT CONTINUED TO RUN SMOOTHLY WHEN THE POWER WAS "RAPIDLY ADVANCED AND THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN."
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.