20150706015039I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Maule M-5-220C · North Pole, AK · July 6, 2015

Date: July 6, 2015 · 15:30 local
Place: North Pole, AK
Airport: Bradley Skyranch
Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N62017
Reported as: Maule M-5-220C
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,500 total250 in this make and model40 in the last 90 days

N62017Registered now · Maule M-5-220CS/N 5045C Airframe modelMaule M-5-220C Engine modelFranklin 6A&6V335 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.

Airman had been flying that afternoon looking for a picnic spot to take his family. Airman stated that after locating an appropriate location, he assessed his landing area and landed. After landing, he walked the landing/take-off area looking for ruts, large debris, and large rocks; aircraft was equipped with 31 in alaskan bush-wheels. After the airman felt comfortable, he departed. Upon departure and right after lift off, the pilot and passenger observed a thud. Not knowing if the aircraft caught a small piece of debris at the mains or tail wheel, and being unable to observe any damage, the airman made the decision to land at Bradley Skyranch. This airfield is gravel, wide, and has very few hazards if the aircraft had an issue. The airman's home strip is airway (pvt) in North Pole which should be considered moderately confined. After the airman arrived at Bradley Skyranch and after touchdown, the aircraft was rolling out. As it slowed, the aircraft ground looped.

As the FAA filed it

AIRMAN HAD BEEN FLYING THAT AFTERNOON LOOKING FOR A PICNIC SPOT TO TAKE HIS FAMILY. AIRMAN STATED THAT AFTER LOCATING AN APPROPRIATE LOCATION, HE ASSESSED HIS LANDING AREA AND LANDED.AFTER LANDING, HE WALKED THE LANDING/TAKE-OFF AREA LOOKING FOR RUTS, LARGE DEBRIS, AND LARGE ROCKS; AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH 31 IN ALASKAN BUSH-WHEELS. AFTER THE AIRMAN FELT COMFORTABLE, HE DEPARTED. UPON DEPARTURE AND RIGHT AFTER LIFT OFF, THE PILOT AND PASSENGER OBSERVED A THUD. NOT KNOWING IF THE AIRCRAFT CAUGHT A SMALL PIECE OF DEBRIS AT THE MAINS OR TAIL WHEEL, AND BEING UNABLE TO OBSERVE ANY DAMAGE, THE AIRMAN MADE THE DECISION TO LAND AT BRADLEY SKYRANCH. THIS AIRFIELD IS GRAVEL, WIDE, AND HAS VERY FEW HAZARDS IF THE AIRCRAFT HAD AN ISSUE. THE AIRMAN'S HOME STRIP IS AIRWAY (PVT) IN NORTH POLE WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED MODERATELY CONFINED. AFTER THE AIRMAN ARRIVED AT BRADLEY SKYRANCH AND AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRCRAFT WAS ROLLING OUT. AS IT SLOWED, THE AIRCRAFT GROUND LOOPED.