# NTSB ATL04LA080: Maule MX-7-235, N5655P, Nashville, TN, March 7, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 7, 2004, 17:36 local (23:36 UTC) - Place: Nashville, TN - Coordinates: 36.124443, -86.678054 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1244&lon=-86.6781&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 28, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Nashsville FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 58861 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL04LA080 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58861/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04LA080 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind and his failure to maintain aircraft control which resulted in a hard landing. The pilot's decision to land in wind conditions that exceeded the demonstrated crosswind component, wind gusts, and a crosswind were contributing factors. ## Analysis According to the pilot, during the landing flare on runway 31, a strong gust of wind from the left lifted the airplane and the pilot was unable to maintain control and landed hard on the right main landing gear and ground looped. Examination of the airplane revealed, the right wing assembly, fuselage, and right main strut was buckled. No flight control or mechanical anomalies were reported by the pilot prior to the accident. Review of the weather conditions for Nashville International Airport at 1744 reported winds at 300 degrees,17 knots gusting to 25 knots. Review of the Maule MX-7-235; Airplane Flight Manual, Normal Flight Procedures, section 3.3-F: Crosswind Landings & Takeoffs, states: Maximum demonstrated crosswind component is 12 knots (14 mph) and flap extension should be limited to 0-degrees (one notch) or -7 degrees with such crosswind or higher. 14 mph is the maximum demonstrated for certification of the airplane and is not considered limiting with flaps at 0-degrees. ## Factual narrative On March 7, 2004, at 1736 central standard time, a Maule M-7, N5655P registered to and operated by a commercial pilot ground looped at Nashville International Airport, Nashville, Tennessee. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with VFR flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the commercial pilot and pilot rated passenger were uninjured. The flight departed Yeager Airport, Charleston, West Virginia, on March 7, 2004 at 1530 eastern standard time. According to the pilot, during the final approach to land "a significant amount of left aileron was used to correct for the left crosswind component of wind at the time." During the landing flare on runway 31, a strong gust of wind from the left lifted the airplane. The pilot was unable to maintain control and landed hard on the right main landing gear and ground looped. No flight control or mechanical anomalies were reported by the pilot prior to the accident. Examination of the airplane revealed, the right wing assembly, fuselage, and right main strut was buckled. Review of the weather conditions for Nashville International Airport at 1744 reported winds at 300 degrees,17 knots and gusting to 25 knots. Review of the Maule MX-7-235; Airplane Flight Manual, Normal Flight Procedures, section 3.3-F: Crosswind Landings & Takeoffs, states: Maximum demonstrated crosswind component is 12 knots (14 mph) and flap extension should be limited to 0-degrees (one notch) or -7 degrees with such crosswind or higher. 14 mph is the maximum demonstrated for certification of the airplane and is not considered limiting with flaps at 0-degrees. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - crosswind component - exceeded, pilot in command (contributing factor) - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (contributing factor) - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - flare/touchdown - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - landing gear,main gear strut - overload - ground loop/swerve - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5655P](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5655P), registered now, S/N 10003C, built 1984 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Maule MX-7-235 - Registry model: [Maule MX-7-235](https://openairdocs.org/model/maule-mx-7-235) (registry code 5470207) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (registry code 41530, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 10003C - Airframe hours: 1534 - Engines: Lycoming IO540W1A5D 235 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Micheal Bevan - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 10, 2003, 19 hours before - Departed: CRW, CHARLESTON, WV - Destination: BNA, NASHVILLE, TN - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: BNA, Nashville International, runway 310, 11,030 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review October 21, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 2,304 total, 481 in this make and model, 2,207 as pilot in command, 72 in the last 90 days, 27 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 300° at 17 knots, gusting 25 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 30.13 inHg - Observed at: BNA ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20040307016819A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040307016819A), Mar 7, 2004: Maule MX7235, Nashville, TN, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot was arriving from charleston, WV on a cross-country flight. Mr. Bevan opted to revise his flight plan to land at Nashville International Airport… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.