- Date
- March 20, 2025, 17:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Birdsboro, PA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4224LMaule M7
- Defining event
- Landing: 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
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 199892
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 decision to land with a quartering tailwind in shifting wind conditions, which resulted in a loss of control and nose-over.
Findings · 2
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
The pilot reported that he attempted to land at his home airstrip using a “limp windsock” to assess the wind conditions. Although aware of an approaching storm and the potential for shifting winds, he proceeded with the landing on runway 26. He landed with a quartering tailwind on a short runway with limited go-around options. The landing initially appeared normal; however, the wind suddenly shifted direction after touchdown and the airplane became unstable and flipped over. Both of the airplane’s wings were substantially damaged. The pilot later stated that he over-relied on the windsock and underestimated the impact of the changing weather. He reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4224L
- Reported as
- Maule M7 (235C)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- M7-235C
- Built
- 2002
- Airframe hours
- 828
- Engine
- Lycoming IO540-W1A5, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 20, 2024 · 8 hours before
- Departed
- 08N · Lebanon, PA
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 2, 2024
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,276 total · 594 in this make and model · 1,276 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 8 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.53 inHg
- Observed at
- PTW, 11 nm away
- METAR
- KPTW 201954Z AUTO 13008G20KT 080V160 10SM CLR 22/06 A2953 RMK AO2 SLP998 T02170056=
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 21, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.3 MB in all.