- Date
- August 19, 2020, 18:16 local (23:16 UTC)
- Place
- Olathe, KS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N386XMaule M5
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20200819016889A
- Case key
- 101842
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 loss of directional control during landing.
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 of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that the airplane touched down on the runway without incident. Shortly after touchdown, the airplane encountered a sudden wind gust and turned to the left. The pilot attempted to correct with aileron and rudder input. However, the airplane continued to turn left about 180° and came to rest upright. He stated that his aileron input was incorrect and exaggerated the left turn. In addition, he reported he was an inexperienced tailwheel pilot and the accident was "100% a case of pilot error." The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and aileron. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that the airplane touched down on the runway without incident. Shortly after touchdown, the airplane encountered a sudden wind gust and turned to the left. The pilot attempted to correct with aileron and rudder input. However, the airplane continued to turn left about 180° and came to rest upright. He stated that his aileron input was incorrect and exaggerated the left turn. In addition, he reported he was an inexperienced tailwheel pilot and the accident was "100% a case of pilot error." The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and aileron. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N386X
- Reported as
- Maule M5 (235C)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7029C
- Built
- 1976
- Airframe hours
- 988
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-51ASD, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 10, 2020 · 1 hours before
- Departed
- OJC · Olathe, KS
- Destination
- OJC · Olathe, KS
- Airport
- OJC · Johnson County Executive, runway 18, 4,098 × 75 ft, concrete
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Handheld GPS, Auto-pilot, ADS-B
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
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 21, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 471 total · 11 in this make and model · 410 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- OJC
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.0 MB 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.
Other investigations on N386X · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.