- Date
- December 31, 2016, 11:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Palouse, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N260BDMaule M7
- Defining event
- Taxi: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 13, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20161231023649A
- Case key
- 94559
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 failure to maintain directional control on an ice- and snow-covered runway during taxi with a crosswind, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Findings · 4
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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during a "medium speed taxi" on a runway in crosswind conditions, the airplane taxied over ice and drifted to the right. The pilot further reported that he corrected to the left, reduced throttle power, and the airplane taxied onto packed snow, "regaining lateral traction." The pilot attempted to correct with right rudder, but the airplane continued to veer to the left, exited the runway, and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and left wing lift struts. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during a "medium speed taxi" on a runway in crosswind conditions the airplane taxied over ice and drifted to the right. The pilot further reported that he corrected to the left, reduced throttle power, and the airplane taxied onto packed snow, "regaining lateral traction". The pilot attempted to correct with right rudder, but the airplane continued to veer to the left, exited the runway, and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and left wing lift struts. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N260BD
- Reported as
- Maule M7 (260)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 26016C
- Built
- 2005
- Airframe hours
- 828.9
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-V4A5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 19, 2016
- Departed
- WN26 · Palouse, WA
- Destination
- PUW · Pullman/Moscow, WA
- Airport
- WN26 · Schoepflin, runway 22, 2,200 × 40 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 45
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Waiver time limited special
- Last flight review
- July 8, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 317 total · 74 in this make and model · 244 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 23 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- KPUW, 9 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 1, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 877 KB 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.