# NTSB CEN21LA183: Maule MT7, N811SG, Jewett, TX, April 5, 2021

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: April 5, 2021, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place: Jewett, TX
- Coordinates: 31.3616, -96.1441 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.3616&lon=-96.1441&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration (Houston FSDO)
- NTSB case key (mKey): 102878
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN21LA183
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102878/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102878
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA183

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane after it struck a hidden berm during the intentional off-airport landing, which resulted in a hard landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Terrain: rough terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Maule MT-7-235, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md?model=5460175), [All aircraft, 442 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Maule MT-7-235, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=5460175), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Maule MT-7-235, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=5460175), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-landing roll: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Maule MT-7-235, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=5460175), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Maule MT-7-235, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=5460175), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot made an intentional off-airport landing in an open grass field and shortly after touchdown the airplane struck a berm hidden by grass that caused the airplane to become airborne. The airplane then ballooned about 5-10 ft above the field before it landed hard on the nose landing gear. At that point the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both sets of wing struts, vertical stabilizer, elevator, and rudder. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N811SG](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N811SG), registered now, S/N 18105C, built 2008 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MAULE MT7 (235)
- Registry model: [Maule MT-7-235](https://openairdocs.org/model/maule-mt-7-235) (registry code 5460175) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540-W1A5](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-w1a5) (registry code 41660, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 18105C
- Year built: 2008
- Airframe hours: 607.2
- Engines: Lycoming IO-540-W1A5 235 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, November 1, 2020, 71.9 hours before
- Departed: RPH, Graham, TX
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: n/a

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 1, 2020; seat: left; flight hours: 262.8 total, 160.3 in this make and model, 41.6 in the last 90 days, 26.9 in the last 30 days, 6.5 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 190° at 15 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 4,900 ft broken
- Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observed at: LXY, 25 nm away
- METAR: METAR KLXY 052055Z AUTO 19015G19KT 10SM SCT042 BKN049 OVC080 24/14 A2998 RMK AO2 T02360144=

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 26, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102878. 2.5 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12577795&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01%20-%20Pilot%20Report_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Email correspondence (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 139 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12577863&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=02%20-%20Insurance%20Company%20Data%20on%20Airplane%20and%20Pilot%20(email)_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 841 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12577305&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=03%20-%20Photos-Rel.pdf

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.

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