- Date
- November 24, 1997, 13:52 local (21:52 UTC)
- Place
- San Martin, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N611BYMaule M-7-235B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 28, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19971124040389A
- Case key
- 30002
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 his failure to maintain directional control.
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.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he was attempting to takeoff in a 50-degree, 10-knot crosswind condition and lost control of the aircraft. The aircraft was inspected on-scene and no mechanical malfunctions were noted.
Factual narrative
On November 24, 1997, at 1352 hours Pacific standard time, a Maule M-7-235B, N611BY, ground looped and nosed over at the San Martin, California, airport while practicing touch-and-go landings on runway 32. The aircraft was substantially damaged, and the pilot/owner, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed for the personal local flight that departed the Reid-Hillview airport, San Jose, California, at 1300 and was scheduled to terminate at the same airport the same day. No flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported that he lost control of the aircraft on a crosswind takeoff. In his written statement the pilot stated that the winds were from 270 degrees at 10 knots.
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector from the San Jose, California, Flight Standards District Office, examined the aircraft and reported that no mechanical malfunctions were noted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N611BY
- Reported as
- Maule M-7-235B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 23021C
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-B, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Phillip L. Wright
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- RHV · San Jose, CA
- Airport
- Q99 · San Martin, runway 32, 5,000 × 300 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
- 61
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 296 total · 46 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.