- Date
- May 3, 1997, 09:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- West Fargo, ND
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N290XMaule M-5
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 29, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970503007649A
- Case key
- 10556
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 inadequate compensation for wind conditions, and his failure to attain a proper touchdown point. Factors relating to the accident were: the unfavorable wind conditions, and the terrain condition where the airplane touched down.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot had moved his airplane from the airport due to flooding. He was in the process of returning the airplane, when the accident occurred. The majority of the airport was still under water with the exception of a 600-700 foot section of taxiway in front of the T-hangars on which the pilot was attempting to land. The pilot stated he lost a headwind, when he descended below the hangar height, and the airplane touched down short of the taxiway in two to three feet of water. The airplane then contacted the edge of the taxiway and nosed over.
Factual narrative
On May 3, 1997, at 0930 central daylight time, a Maule M-5, N290X, registered to and flown by a commercial pilot nosed over on landing at the West Fargo Utility Airport, West Fargo, North Dakota. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The airplane was substantially damaged and the pilot was not injured. The flight originated from the Fargo Hector International Airport, Fargo, North Dakota, at 0915 cdt.
The pilot had moved his airplane from the West Fargo Utility Airport due to flooding in area. He was in the process of moving the airplane back to the airport when the accident occurred.
Most of the airport was under water with the exception of an 600 to 700 foot long section of taxiway. The pilot was attempting to land on this section of taxiway which he reported was in front of his T-hangar. The pilot reported that during the landing he lost the headwind when he descended below the hangar and he became disoriented due to the "glassy water on 3 sides." The airplane touched down in two to three feet of water approximately six feet short of the intended touchdown point on the taxiway. According to the pilot, the airplane contacted the edge of the taxiway and nosed over "Coming to rest exactly at intended touchdown point."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N290X
- Reported as
- Maule M-5
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 6114C
- Engine
- Continental IO-470, 210 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Edward P. Ferguson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- FAR · Fargo, ND
- Destination
- D54 · ND
- Airport
- D54 · West Fargo Utility
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
- 51
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,500 total · 30 in this make and model · 40 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 2° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FAR, 3 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.