- Date
- December 29, 2023, 14:27 local (20:27 UTC)
- Place
- Beaumont, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N71MSMaule M-6-235
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: 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
- 20231229017819A
- Case key
- 193605
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 directional control during landing in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a ground loop on the runway.
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
During the landing attempt with a direct left crosswind in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, the pilot reported he heard a pop, and the airplane veered to the right. The pilot attempted to make a correction to the left to maintain airplane control. The pilot felt the empennage lift and the propeller struck the runway. The right main landing gear collapsed, the right wing struck the runway, and the airplane pivoted around the left main landing gear coming to rest on the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and wing struts. According to a mechanic, postaccident examination revealed fractures to the landing gear structure that were consistent with an abnormal sideload and subsequent ground loop. No other mechanical failures or malfunctions were reported with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing the airplane on runway 34 with wind from 250° at 12 knots and gusting to 16 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N71MS
- Reported as
- Maule M-6-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7452C
- Built
- 1984
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- Taf Aerial Services LLC
- Registered owner
- Taf Aerial Services LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- BPT · Jack Brooks Rgnl, runway 16/34, 5,071 × 150 ft, concrete
- 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
- 46
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 4,210 total · 170 in this make and model · 260 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 12 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.16 inHg
- Observed at
- BMT
- METAR
- SA 29/12/2023 20:35-> METAR KBMT 292035Z AUTO 25012G16KT 10SM CLR 13/M03 A3016 RMK AO2 T01261026
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 29, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.1 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 N71MS · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.