# NTSB ERA13CA369: Maule M-5-210C, N6617R, Verona, NY, August 11, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 11, 2013, 12:00 local (16:00 UTC) - Place: Verona, NY - Coordinates: 43.11, -75.543052 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.1100&lon=-75.5431&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 5, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 87824 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA13CA369 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/87824/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87824 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13CA369 ## Probable cause The pilot’s delay in applying power after a bounced landing, resulting in collision with terrain during a go-around. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: climb rate](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062035): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 265 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062035/cases.md) - [Terrain: mountainous/hilly terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021010): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [All aircraft, 329 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated after takeoff while en route to the destination airport he elected to fly to a private airstrip (Bates Field) located in rolling farmland. He lined up onto base leg for landing to the northwest on the upslope grass runway, and turned onto final approach. With 40 degrees of flaps extended, he identified the intended touchdown point, flared, and then climbed to attain the intended touchdown point. He landed, “but too hard and bounced up…,” touched down on the runway, and drifted off the runway into 6 to 8 inch high grass. He added power to abort the landing but impacted a knoll at the top of a crest on a hill, then continued climbing. While safely airborne he assessed the condition of the airplane noting the pilot and co-pilot doors were ajar, but did not find any other damage. He flew over the private airstrip and did not observe any damage then elected to proceed to his destination airport, where he landed uneventfully. While taxiing after landing he noticed the left landing gear was out of position. He further stated there was no preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction that caused the hard landing. Inspection of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed damage and distortion to structural tubing in the cockpit, and wrinkles in the fabric adjacent to the left main landing gear. ## Factual narrative The pilot stated after takeoff while en route to the destination airport he elected to fly to a private airstrip (Bates Field) located in rolling farmland. He lined up onto base leg for landing to the northwest on the upslope grass runway, and turned onto final approach. With 40 degrees of flaps extended he identified the intended touchdown point and flared but then climbed to attain the intended touchdown point. He landed, “but too hard and bounced up…” then touched down on the runway but drifted off the runway into 6 to 8 inch high grass. He added power to abort the landing but impacted a knoll at the top of a crest of a hill, then continued climbing. While safely airborne he assessed the condition of the airplane noting the pilot and co-pilot doors were ajar, but did not find any other damage. He flew over the private airstrip and did not observe any damage then elected to proceed to his destination airport, where he landed uneventfully. While taxiing after landing he noticed the left landing gear was out of position. He further stated there was no preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction that caused the hard landing. Inspection of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed damage and distortion to structural tubing in the cockpit, and wrinkles in the fabric adjacent to the left main landing gear. ## Aircraft - Registration: N6617R (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: MAULE M-5-210C - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 6095C - Airframe hours: 1160 - Engines: CONT MOTOR IO-360-D 210 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Moore Thomas R - Registered owner: Moore Thomas R - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 27, 2013 - Departed: K16, Rome, NY - Destination: VGC, Hamilton, NY - Airport: NONE, Bates Field, runway 30, 1,520 × 50 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 9, 2013; seat: left; flight hours: 555 total, 82 in this make and model, 508 as pilot in command, 18 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 250° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,500 ft broken - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.11 inHg - Observed at: SYR, 25 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 20130811016999A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130811016999A), Aug 11, 2013: Maule M-5-210C, Verona, NY, Substantial damage. On August 11th at approximately 11:15 am private rated pilot [privacy data omitted] departed becks grove (K16) on a local personal flight, with one passenger… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 26, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87824. 5.5 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 633 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40399426&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 2, .PDF, 41 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40399427&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.PDF - Photo 1. Digital Photograph Provided by FAA. Left Rear Quartering View of the Left Side of the Fuselage and Cockpit. Note the Wrinkles in the Fabric near the Left Main Landing Gear. (item 3, .PDF, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40399471&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201.%20Digital%20Photograph%20Provided%20by%20FAA.%20Left%20Rear%20Quartering%20View%20of%20the%20Left%20Side%20of%20the%20Fuselage%20and%20Cockpit.%20Note%20the%20Wrinkles%20in%20the%20Fabric%20near%20the%20Left%20Main%20Landing%20Gear.-Master.PDF - Photo 2. Digital Photograph Provided by FAA. View of the Cockpit Noting Damage to Tubing on the Left Side of the Aircraft. (item 4, .PDF, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40399472&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202.%20Digital%20Photograph%20Provided%20by%20FAA.%20View%20of%20the%20Cockpit%20Noting%20Damage%20to%20Tubing%20on%20the%20Left%20Side%20of%20the%20Aircraft.-Master.PDF - Photo 3. Digital Photograph Provided by FAA. View Depicting the Distortion and Damaged Fuselage Tubing on the Left Side of the Cockpit. (item 5, .PDF, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40399473&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203.%20Digital%20Photograph%20Provided%20by%20FAA.%20View%20Depicting%20the%20Distortion%20and%20Damaged%20Fuselage%20Tubing%20on%20the%20Left%20Side%20of%20the%20Cockpit.-Master.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.