- Date
- June 11, 2016, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Fairbanks, AK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5650JMaule M 6-235
- Defining event
- Landing-aborted after touchdown: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 5, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20160611009319A
- Case key
- 93415
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to land on terrain unsuitable for a wheel equipped airplane.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot stated that while attempting to assess the suitability of a gravel-covered ridge top for future landings in his tail-wheel equipped airplane, he attempted a full flap landing on the main wheels. After bouncing twice, he aborted the landing and adjusted the flaps to 40 degrees and applied full power. During the subsequent takeoff, he felt something hit the airplane, but elected to continue the takeoff and proceed to his final destination. During a postflight inspection, the pilot discovered substantial damage to the lower cross member structure of the fuselage. The pilot stated there were no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that while attempting to assess the suitability of a gravel-covered ridge top for future landings in his tail-wheel equipped airplane, he attempted a full flap landing on the main wheels. After bouncing twice, he aborted the landing and adjusted the flaps to 40 degrees and applied full power. During the subsequent takeoff, he felt something hit the airplane, but elected to continue the takeoff and proceed to his final destination. During a postflight inspection, the pilot discovered substantial damage to the lower cross member structure of the fuselage. The pilot stated there were no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5650J
- Reported as
- Maule M 6-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7420C
- Built
- 1982
- Airframe hours
- 3,088.7
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 31, 2016 · 12 hours before
- Departed
- AK28 · Fairbanks, AK
- Destination
- 25AA · Fairbanks, AK
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 25, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 681 total · 149 in this make and model · 608 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.73 inHg
- Observed at
- PAFA, 43 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 25, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 555 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.