- Date
- August 29, 2011, 13:36 local (19:36 UTC)
- Place
- Hailey, ID
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6140BMaule M-6-235
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 1, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administratin
- FAA report
- 20110829019039A
- Case key
- 81626
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 the landing rollout in a gusty, crosswind condition.
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 automatic terminal information service reported that a crosswind existed with gusts up to 20 knots. The pilot said the air traffic controller confirmed the gusty wind conditions. The pilot stated that he approached and touched down using a left wing low wheel landing technique. Initially, the airplane was aligned with the runway’s centerline. After decreasing engine power and lowering the tailwheel, the pilot lost directional control. The right wing tip impacted the runway’s surface, and adjacent structural wing and aileron components were bent as the airplane veered off the runway and ground looped. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that the airport control tower provided wind information to him while he was in the traffic pattern for runway 31. The automatic terminal information service (ATIS) reported that the wind was from 270 degrees at 14 knots, with gusts to 20 knots. The pilot stated that he approached and touched down on the runway while using a left wing low wheel landing technique. Initially, the airplane was aligned with the runway’s centerline. After decreasing engine power and lowering the tailwheel, he lost directional control. The pilot opined that he encountered a wind gust. The right wing tip impacted the runway’s surface, and adjacent structural wing and aileron components were bent as the airplane veered off the runway and ground looped.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6140B
- Reported as
- Maule M-6-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7508C
- Airframe hours
- 1,928
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 17, 2010 · 51 hours before
- Departed
- MYL · McCall, ID
- Destination
- SUN · Hailey, ID
- Airport
- SUN · Friedman Memorial, runway 31, 7,550 × 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
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 21, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,728 total · 751 in this make and model · 1,625 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- SUN
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 11, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 879 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.