LAX96LA128

NTSB accident investigation · Maule M-6-235 · Bishop, CA · March 8, 1996

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
March 7, 1996, 17:45 local (Mar 8, 1996, 01:45 UTC)
Place
Bishop, CA
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N5652CMaule M-6-235
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report July 3, 1996
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19960307003789A
Case key
29385

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll, which resulted in an inadvertent ground swerve. The unfavorable wind condition was a related factor.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding - roll
Weather condition - unfavorable windFactor
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Ground loop/swerve - inadvertentPilot in commandCause
Nose overLanding - roll
Terrain condition - high vegetation

Analysis

The pilot indicated that he accomplished a normal landing, and the airplane was rolling out on the runway at approximately 40 to 45 miles per hour. He said the airplane encountered a crosswind from the left, the left wing lifted, and the airplane turned right. The airplane then rolled off the right shoulder of the runway, struck some bushes, and nose over.

Factual narrative

On March 7, 1996, at 1745 hours Pacific standard time, a Maule M-6-235, N5652C, nosed over after losing control and colliding with vegetation off the right shoulder of runway 30 during the landing roll at the Bishop, California, airport. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the certificated private pilot was not injured. The aircraft was being operated by the pilot as a personal flight when the accident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.

The pilot indicated he accomplished a normal landing and was rolling out on the runway approximately 40- to 45-miles per hour. The pilot indicated he encountered a crosswind from the left. The airplane's left wing lifted and the airplane turned right. The airplane then rolled off the right shoulder of the runway and struck some bushes.

The pilot described the vegetation during a telephone interview as being as big as a desk, with multiple branches, with a diameter at the base as big as his fingers. The pilot indicated the bushes were within 50 feet of the runway edge.

According to the Bishop Airport Manager, the vegetation is about 75 feet from the runway center line outside the lateral limits of the runway safety area.

Aircraft

Registration
N5652C
Reported as
Maule M-6-235
Category
Airplane
Serial number
7403C
Airframe hours
1,500
Engine
Lycoming O-540, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Derrick, George B.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · February 4, 1996 · 50 hours before
Departed
BIH
Airport
BIH · Bishop, runway 30, 7,000 × 100 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
57
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
596 total · 50 in this make and model · 564 as pilot in command · 110 in the last 90 days · 41 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
59 °F, dew point 19 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
BIH, 1 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.