20131111022789A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Maule MX-7-235 · Santa Barbara, CA · November 11, 2013

Date: November 11, 2013 · 09:15 local
Place: Santa Barbara, CA
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N88CR
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR14CA048
Reported as: Maule MX-7-235
Reported engine: Lycoming O-540-J1A5D
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 310 total200 in this make and model75 in the last 90 days

N88CRRegistration cancelled Mar 8, 2018 · Maule MX-7-235S/N 4051C · Built 1988 Airframe modelMaule MX-7-235 Engine modelLycoming O-540-J1A5DReciprocating

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.

The pilot departed a private airstrip located in the mountains approximately 23NM east of Santa ynez airport to return to Santa ynez airport, in Santa ynez, California. Upon climbing out, the pilot followed drainage to the north. About 3 NM north a turn was made to the west, up a canyon with a large grassy meadow. The pilot noticed two (2) black bears below, and made a 180 degree descending right turn to get a better look at the bears. The pilot then performed another 180 degree turn to the right. During these maneuvers, the pilot was too distracted by the bears to realize he was descending into rising terrain. When the pilot finally realized the situation, he applied full power; however, the aircraft had lost too much airspeed and altitude to avoid hitting the hillside. The plane made contact with the hillside with the two main wheels. The aircraft continued to roll down the hillside until the nose of the plane dug into the ground and flipped the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT DEPARTED A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP LOCATED IN THE MOUNTAINS APPROXIMATELY 23NM EAST OF SANTA YNEZ AIRPORT TO RETURN TO SANTA YNEZ AIRPORT, IN SANTA YNEZ, CALIFORNIA. UPON CLIMBING OUT, THE PILOT FOLLOWED DRAINAGE TO THE NORTH. ABOUT 3 NM NORTH A TURN WAS MADE TO THE WEST, UP A CANYON WITH A LARGE GRASSY MEADOW. THE PILOT NOTICED TWO (2) BLACK BEARS BELOW, AND MADE A 180 DEGREE DESCENDING RIGHT TURN TO GET A BETTER LOOK AT THE BEARS. THE PILOT THEN PERFORMED ANOTHER 180 DEGREE TURN TO THE RIGHT. DURING THESE MANEUVERS, THE PILOT WAS TOO DISTRACTED BY THE BEARS TO REALIZE HE WAS DESCENDING INTO RISING TERRAIN. WHEN THE PILOT FINALLY REALIZED THE SITUATION, HE APPLIED FULL POWER; HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT HAD LOST TOO MUCH AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE TO AVOID HITTING THE HILLSIDE. THE PLANE MADE CONTACT WITH THE HILLSIDE WITH THE TWO MAIN WHEELS. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO ROLL DOWN THE HILLSIDE UNTIL THE NOSE OF THE PLANE DUG INTO THE GROUND AND FLIPPED THE AIRCRAFT.

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 WPR14CA048Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportSan Ynez, CAThe pilot's failure to maintain terrain clearance while maneuvering at low altitude in hilly terrain.Nov 11, 2013 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N88CR · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19990126010589IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Clarksdale, MSDuring landing roll out after a three point landing-pilot stated tail lifted up. Aircraft was left resting on propeller and main gear-minor damage- no injuries.Jan 26, 1999 · Minor damage