- Date
- September 25, 2021, 14:09 local (21:09 UTC)
- Place
- Elk River, ID
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N31876Maule MX-7-180A
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FSDO
- FAA report
- 20210925017369A
- Case key
- 104074
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 takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with a fence.
Findings · 2
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 of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, during takeoff from a rough gravel airstrip, the airplane veered left and exited the runway surface despite his control inputs. Subsequently, the airplane veered right, and traveled down sloping terrain and impacted a fence, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and left elevator. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N31876
- Reported as
- Maule MX-7-180A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20045C
- Built
- 1995
- Airframe hours
- 641
- Engine
- Textron Lycoming O360-C4F, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 3, 2020
- Departed
- HRI · Hermiston, OR
- Destination
- ID85 · Elk River, ID
- Airport
- ID85 · Elk River, runway 17/35, 3,000 × 150 ft, gravel
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 76
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Last flight review
- July 22, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 649 total · 270 in this make and model · 532 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 11, 2021
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 0 total · 0 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.93 inHg
- Observed at
- KPUW, 39 nm away
- METAR
- KPUW 252053Z AUTO VRB03KT 9SM CLR 25/04 A2993 RMK AO2 SLP120 T02500039 58010
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 1, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.7 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.