- Date
- April 12, 2008, 15:50 local (22:50 UTC)
- Place
- Monroe, WA
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9277EMaule M-5-235C
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080412014089A
- Case key
- 67836
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 inadequate compensation for the crosswind condition and failure to maintain directional control during the landing rollout.
Findings · 5
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
During the landing rollout, a moderate right crosswind gust of 7 to 8 knots affected the airplane, causing it to drift left. The pilot applied right rudder to compensate; however, as he applied more and repeated right rudder pressure the airplane continued to drift left. The airplane went off the left side of the runway, onto a grass shoulder, then nosed over into the drainage ditch. The pilot stated that the passenger in the copilot's seat was very nervous and tense throughout the flight, and with the sudden left movement of the airplane after landing, the passenger may have tensed up, inadvertently blocked the rudder pedals with his feet.
Factual narrative
On April 12, 2008, at 1550 Pacific daylight time, a Maule M-5-235C, N9277E, veered off the left side of the runway and nosed over after landing at Firstair Field, Monroe, Washington. The private pilot operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The pilot and his two passengers were not injured; the airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated at Woodland, Washington, at 1435.
The pilot stated that during the landing rollout a moderate right crosswind gust of 7 to 8 knots affected the airplane, causing it to drift left. He applied right rudder to compensate, however, as he applied more and repeated right rudder pressure the airplane continued to drift left. It went off the runway, onto a grass shoulder, then nosed over into the drainage ditch. The pilot stated that the passenger in the copilot's seat was very nervous and tense throughout the flight, and with the sudden left movement of the airplane after landing, he may have tensed up and inadvertently blocked the rudder pedals with his feet.
The pilot reported that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9277E
- Reported as
- Maule M-5-235C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7154C
- Airframe hours
- 2,133.6
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-J1A5D, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Kenneth L Thomson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 2007
- Departed
- KW27 · Woodland, WA
- Destination
- KW16 · Monroe, WA
- Airport
- KW16 · Firstair Field, runway 07, 2,095 × 34 ft, asphalt
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
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 185 total · 35 in this make and model · 3 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- KPAE, 12 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.