- Date
- August 24, 2018, 14:58 local (18:58 UTC)
- Place
- Post Mills, VT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N524TRMaule MX7
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 11, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180824012259A
- Case key
- 98162
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 during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and subsequent impact with trees.
Findings · 3
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-quipped airplane reported that, during landing on a grass strip, the airplane bounced, and he subsequently performed a successful go-around. On the second landing attempt, shortly after touchdown, the airplane bounced again and instead of going around, he "decided to try to save the landing." Shortly after the airplane stopped bouncing, the airplane veered left, exited the runway to the left, and impacted trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, during landing on a grass strip, the airplane bounced and he performed a successful but "scary" go-around. On the second landing attempt, shortly after touchdown, the airplane bounced again and instead of going around, he "decided to try to save the landing." Shortly after the airplane stopped bouncing, the airplane veered left, exited the runway to the left, and impacted trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the wind was 270° at 7 knots. An automated weather observation station located on the airport about 16 NM away, reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was calm. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 22.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N524TR
- Reported as
- Maule MX7 (180A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20022C
- Airframe hours
- 596
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-C4F, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 7, 2018
- Departed
- POU · Poughkeepsie, NY
- Destination
- 2B9 · Post Mills, VT
- Airport
- 2B9 · Post Mills, runway 22, 2,900 × 80 ft
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 77
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 234 total · 57 in this make and model · 89 as pilot in command · 61 in the last 90 days · 42 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- KLEB, 16 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 28, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 343 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.