- Date
- March 1, 2016, 11:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Wasilla, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N12BEMaule M5
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 3, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA Anchorage FSDO
- FAA report
- 20160301002139A
- Case key
- 92792
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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing, which resulted in a runway excursion, and an impact with terrain.
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 student pilot and his flight instructor conducted 6 takeoffs and landings in the tailwheel-equipped airplane. The student pilot then took off solo, flew in the traffic pattern, and during the landing he reported that as soon as my wheels hit the pavement it jerked hard to the right. The student pilot attempted to "straighten it out" but he reported that the airplane was going too fast so he applied power and attempted to take off. He then stated that the airplane "jumped me to the right of the runway," the airplane departed the runway to the right, the propeller impacted terrain, and the main landing gear collapsed under the fuselage. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the two right wing lift struts. The student pilot verified that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. As a safety recommendation, the student pilot stated "more practice" and "land on gravel."
Factual narrative
The student pilot and his flight instructor conducted 6 takeoffs and landings in the tailwheel-equipped airplane. The student pilot then took off solo, flew in the traffic pattern, and during the landing he reported that as soon as the wheels hit the pavement it jerked hard to the right. The student pilot attempted to "straighten it out" but he reported that the airplane was going too fast so he applied power and attempted to take off. He then stated that the airplane "jumped me to the right of the runway," the airplane departed the runway to the right, the propeller impacted terrain, and the main landing gear collapsed under the fuselage. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the two right wing lift struts. The student pilot verified that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. As a safety recommendation, the student pilot stated "more practice" and "land on gravel."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N12BE
- Reported as
- Maule M5 (235C)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7082C
- Built
- 1977
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540 Series, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- IYS · Wasilla, AK
- Destination
- IYS · Wasilla, AK
- Airport
- IYS · Wasilla, runway 04, 3,700 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- None
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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 21
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 22.2 total · 22.2 in this make and model · 0.8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 36 °F, dew point 14 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.86 inHg
- Observed at
- PAWS
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 4, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.5 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.