- Date
- May 21, 2026, 16:26 local (22:26 UTC)
- Place
- Kanab, UT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N261MMMaule M-7-260C
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 9, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20260521006439A
- Case key
- 203055
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 roll with gusting crosswind 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 of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll, and prior to the tailwheel contacting the runway surface, a gust of wind moved the tail of the airplane to the right. The pilot attempted to correct with right rudder input, followed by alternating right and left rudder inputs. However, the airplane ground looped to the left, and the right main landing gear collapsed. During the ground loop, the right wing struck the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and aileron. The pilot reported that, at the time of the accident, he was landing the airplane on runway 1 with a west-northwest wind at 10 knots, gusting to 19 knots. According to the pilot, there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N261MM
- Reported as
- Maule M-7-260C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 30015C
- Built
- 2000
- Airframe hours
- 1,421.6
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- May 9, 2026 · 13 hours before
- Departed
- CNO · Chino, CA
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- KNB · Kanab Municipal Airport, runway 1, 6,200 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot, Handheld GPS, Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B, Stall warning system
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
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 21, 2026
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 469 total · 13.5 in this make and model · 410 as pilot in command · 13.5 in the last 90 days · 13.5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 16 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KKNB
- METAR
- METAR KKNB 212215Z AUTO 32010G17KT 10SM MM 28/M09 A2995 RMK A01=
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 9, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.3 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.