- Date
- September 7, 2020, 09:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Brazoria, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N897DCMaule MX7
- Defining event
- Landing-aborted after touchdown: Nose over/nose down
- 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
- 20200907018889A
- Case key
- 101949
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 failure to maintain airplane control during a go-around from unsuitable terrain.
Findings · 3
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 reported that he was attempting an off-airport landing in a tailwheel-equipped airplane to a location that he had not previously landed. He stated that just prior to touchdown he realized it was not a suitable landing area and he initiated a go-around. During the go-around, the airplane touched down on soft ground and tall grass, which caused the airplane to sink into the ground and nose over. The right lift strut was substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N897DC
- Reported as
- Maule MX7 (180A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20012C
- Built
- 1993
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 2020 · 6 hours before
- Departed
- LVJ · Houston, TX
- Destination
- LVJ · Houston, TX
- Equipment
- 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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 2, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 287 total · 26 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 77 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 17, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 22.2 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 N897DC · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.