On October 22, 1987, a Maule M-5-180C (registration N56583) was involved in an aviation accident near Madison, MS. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inability to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground loop and subsequent structural damage. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft veered left during landing rollout, departing the runway and ground looping. The right main gear collapsed and tailwheel separated after inspection showed no mechanical failure.
What happened
During the landing roll, the aircraft began to drift toward the left side of the runway. Despite applying full rudder input to the right, the pilot was unable to correct the deviation. The aircraft subsequently left the paved surface and ground looped.
As a result of the ground loop, the right main landing gear collapsed. Additionally, the tailwheel separated from its mounting structure during the incident.
The investigation
A post-accident inspection was conducted on the brake system and rudder assembly. The examination revealed no evidence of pre-accident failure or malfunction within these systems.
Probable cause
The pilot's inability to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground loop and subsequent structural damage.