What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Late reported accident - this accident investigation began after a field approval request was made to this office on 09/29/2021. A mechanic was requesting an approval to install Maule M6 wings on a Maule M7. During our discussion he told me that Maule did not have any parts, and was unable to provide information as to when they would be available. I asked what parts were needed, and he told me the spar. I asked what kind of damage was on the spar, and he told me it was bent from a ground loop. I did a quick search in our database, and could find no reported events for this aircraft.
I contacted privacy data omitted, and asked him about the damage. He told me, he ground looped the aircraft in Ontario, Or. I asked him if he reported it, and he said, ?I didn?t know I needed too?. Our conversation was brief due to his remote location, but I got an email contact for him and sent him the required reporting requirements for an aircraft accident on 09/30/2021. When he returned from his trip on 10/07/2021, he responded to my email with the following details.
The accident occurred at the Ontario, Or Airport (ono) on 03/28/2021 at approximately 12:00 pm. He was flying the aircraft as PIC and one passenger was onboard. It was a clear calm day. On landing when he applied the brakes, the l/h brake worked, but he stated that the r/h one did not. The aircraft turned hard left, causing the r/h wingtip and r/h elevator to drag on the ground. There were no injuries. He provided two photos of the damage to the aircraft sitting on the ramp in Ontario.
I contacted the regional operations center on 10/07/2021 0900 to initiate the report for the aircraft accident. The information was shared on the conference call with the NTSB. The determination was made to classify this as an accident based on damage photos, and the knowledge that the r/h wing spar was bent.
During follow up conversations with the mechanic, he did confirm that the r/h brake was not working, and there was evidence of a fluid leak on the r/h wheel assembly. The brake was replaced with a new part, and the system was tested with no further defects.
As the FAA filed it
LATE REPORTED ACCIDENT - THIS ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION BEGAN AFTER A FIELD APPROVAL REQUEST WAS MADE TO THIS OFFICE ON 09/29/2021. A MECHANIC WAS REQUESTING AN APPROVAL TO INSTALL MAULE M6 WINGS ON A MAULE M7. DURING OUR DISCUSSION HE TOLD ME THAT MAULE DID NOT HAVE ANY PARTS, AND WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AS TO WHEN THEY WOULD BE AVAILABLE. I ASKED WHAT PARTS WERE NEEDED, AND HE TOLD ME THE SPAR. I ASKED WHAT KIND OF DAMAGE WAS ON THE SPAR, AND HE TOLD ME IT WAS BENT FROM A GROUND LOOP. I DID A QUICK SEARCH IN OUR DATABASE, AND COULD FIND NO REPORTED EVENTS FOR THIS AIRCRAFT.
I CONTACTED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, AND ASKED HIM ABOUT THE DAMAGE. HE TOLD ME, HE GROUND LOOPED THE AIRCRAFT IN ONTARIO, OR. I ASKED HIM IF HE REPORTED IT, AND HE SAID, ?I DIDN?T KNOW I NEEDED TOO?. OUR CONVERSATION WAS BRIEF DUE TO HIS REMOTE LOCATION, BUT I GOT AN EMAIL CONTACT FOR HIM AND SENT HIM THE REQUIRED REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT ON 09/30/2021. WHEN HE RETURNED FROM HIS TRIP ON 10/07/2021, HE RESPONDED TO MY EMAIL WITH THE FOLLOWING DETAILS.
THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT THE ONTARIO, OR AIRPORT (ONO) ON 03/28/2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 12:00 PM. HE WAS FLYING THE AIRCRAFT AS PIC AND ONE PASSENGER WAS ONBOARD. IT WAS A CLEAR CALM DAY. ON LANDING WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE L/H BRAKE WORKED, BUT HE STATED THAT THE R/H ONE DID NOT. THE AIRCRAFT TURNED HARD LEFT, CAUSING THE R/H WINGTIP AND R/H ELEVATOR TO DRAG ON THE GROUND. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. HE PROVIDED TWO PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT SITTING ON THE RAMP IN ONTARIO.
I CONTACTED THE REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER ON 10/07/2021 0900 TO INITIATE THE REPORT FOR THE AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT. THE INFORMATION WAS SHARED ON THE CONFERENCE CALL WITH THE NTSB. THE DETERMINATION WAS MADE TO CLASSIFY THIS AS AN ACCIDENT BASED ON DAMAGE PHOTOS, AND THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THE R/H WING SPAR WAS BENT.
DURING FOLLOW UP CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MECHANIC, HE DID CONFIRM THAT THE R/H BRAKE WAS NOT WORKING, AND THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF A FLUID LEAK ON THE R/H WHEEL ASSEMBLY. THE BRAKE WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW PART, AND THE SYSTEM WAS TESTED WITH NO FURTHER DEFECTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.