- Date
- October 8, 2014, 12:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Big Creek, ID
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N11ZAMaule MX 7-235
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 5, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- FAA report
- 20141008018499A
- Case key
- 90231
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 aircraft control while on final approach with shifting wind conditions.
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 stated that when on short final the airplane encountered a sudden downdraft or slight wind shear, which caused the left wing to dip and contact the ground. Following the wing tip dip the airplane yawed left and the main landing gear touched down and collapsed. The resulting damage to the airplane was the right wing tip, left wing, left wing lift strut, and right main landing gear. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that when on short final the airplane encountered a sudden downdraft or slight wind shear, which caused the left wing to dip and contact the ground. Following the wing tip dip the airplane yawed left and the main landing gear touched down and collapsed. The resulting damage to the airplane was the right wing tip, left wing, left wing lift strut, and right main landing gear. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N11ZA
- Reported as
- Maule MX 7-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 10005C
- Built
- 1985
- Airframe hours
- 2,520
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-W1A5D, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Mccrea Ross W
- Registered owner
- Mccrea Ross W
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 11, 2014
- Departed
- 85U · Soldier Bar USF, ID
- Destination
- None · Big Creek, ID
- Airport
- None · Dewey Moore, runway 28, 800 × 35 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Onboard weather, Satellite tracking device
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
- 36
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,066 total · 283 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KMYL, 36 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 25, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.1 MB 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.