# NTSB CHI02LA157: Maule M-7-260C, N63KP, Fishers, IN, June 8, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 8, 2002, 13:45 local (18:45 UTC) - Place: Fishers, IN - Coordinates: 39.950435, -86.020996 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9504&lon=-86.0210&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 18, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration IND FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 54932 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI02LA157 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54932/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54932 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02LA157 ## Probable cause The pilot not performing a go-around prior to exceeding the proper touchdown point and the pilot not maintaining altitude/clearance from the trees. Factors to the accident were the pilot's inadequate preflight planning and the trees. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, landing - aborted - go-around - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - proper touchdown point - exceeded, pilot in command (cause) - aborted landing - attempted, pilot in command - altitude/clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (contributing factor) - object - tree(s) (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis During an attempted aborted landing the airplane impacted trees and terrain. The pilot reported, "Touchdown took place at about 1/2 of the way down the 1000' long field with a short bounce that put me uncomfortably long. I executed a go around and was surprised by the very sluggish climb performance and the height of the trees at the end of the field. I felt like the full flaps were creating too much drag at the same time I realized that I was perilously close to the pine trees at about 50 feet high. I retracted the flaps to reduce drag at about the same time that the right wing tip caught the pine. The impact slowed the right wing and the aircraft spun to the right coming down in the field north of the trees." The pilot stated, "In retrospect I realize that I had too much fuel 50 [gallons] versus my usual 25 [gallons] for this field and that the temperature and high humidity increased my ground speed due to the higher density altitude and drastically reduced my climb performance where my previous landings here [were] in the winter at much cooler temperatures. The turbulence and gusts caused me to add too much airspeed for a successful short field landing taking into account the power line." A weather reporting station recorded the wind speed around the accident time as 6 knots with no gusts. ## Factual narrative On June 8, 2002, at 1345 central daylight time (cdt), a Maule M-7-260C, piloted by an airline transport pilot sustained substantial damage during an in-flight collision with trees and terrain during an aborted landing from a grass field in Fishers, Indiana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and his single passenger reported no injuries. The flight originated from Boone County Airport, Lebanon, Indiana at 1330 cdt. According to the pilot's written statement, he made one low approach over the grass field to identify any obstacles. He stated he then entered a downwind approach for the field. The pilot reported that on final approach he had full flaps and was flying at approximately 65 miles per hour to account for the gusts and turbulence. The pilot reported, "Touchdown took place at about 1/2 of the way down the 1000' long field with a short bounce that put me uncomfortably long. I executed a go around and was surprised by the very sluggish climb performance and the height of the trees at the end of the field. I felt like the full flaps were creating too much drag at the same time I realized that I was perilously close to the pine trees at about 50 feet high. I retracted the flaps to reduce drag at about the same time that the right wing tip caught the pine. The impact slowed the right wing and the aircraft spun to the right coming down in the field north of the trees." The pilot stated, "In retrospect I realize that I had too much fuel 50 [gallons] versus my usual 25 [gallons] for this field and that the temperature and high humidity increased my ground speed due to the higher density altitude and drastically reduced my climb performance where my previous landings here [were] in the winter at much cooler temperatures. The turbulence and gusts caused me to add too much airspeed for a successful short field landing taking into account the power line." A weather reporting station, located approximately 19 nautical miles (nm) southwest of the accident site, recorded the wind speed around the accident time as 6 knots with no gusts. ## Aircraft - Registration: N63KP (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Maule M-7-260C - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 30029C - Airframe hours: 92 - Engines: Lycoming IO-470-V4A5 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: 63kp LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 31, 2001, 92 hours before - Departed: 6I4, Lebanon, IN - Destination: Fishers, IN ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 39; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review June 21, 2000; seat: left; flight hours: 4,219 total, 92 in this make and model, 3,935 as pilot in command, 79 in the last 90 days, 24 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 200° at 6 knots - Visibility: 9 statute miles - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: IND, 19 nm away ## 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 20020608038139A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020608038139A), Jun 8, 2002: Maule M7260C, Fishers, IN, Destroyed. (-23) While attempting to land at grass private field, the pilot landed long on a 1000 foot runway. While attempting a go around procedure, the aircraft hit a… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 14, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54932. 398 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 398 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40443358&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.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. --- 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.