# Incident 20251123021039I: Maule MXT-7-180, Fairbury, NE, November 23, 2025

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 23, 2025, 20:24 local time
- Place: Fairbury, NE
- Airport: Fairbury Municipal
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.1820° N, 97.1679° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at FAIRBURY MUNI (FBY), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.1820&lon=-97.1679&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3187S, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3187S) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Maule MXT-7-180 (registry code 5470206, https://openairdocs.org/model/maule-mxt-7-180) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MAULE MXT-7-180
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O-360-C1F
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 127 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251123021039I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

DURING LEVEL CRUISE FLIGHT, APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT NOTICED THE OIL PRESSURE INDICATION WAS DROPPING INTO THE YELLOW CAUTION ZONE.  IT WAS THEN OBSERVED THAT OIL WAS LEAKING FROM BEHIND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ONTO THE PASSENGER’S LEGS.  THE PILOT THEN TURNED THE AIRCRAFT AROUND TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT.  DURING RETURN, THE PILOT STATED THAT THE OIL PRESSURE CONTINUED TO DROP UNTIL REACHING ZERO.  THE ENGINE THEN SUFFERED A CONNECTING ROD FAILURE IN THE #4 CYLINDER.  THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO PERFORM A SUCCESSFUL EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT.

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.

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