On April 17, 1994, a Maule M5-235C (registration N9237E) operated by Lewis, Nancy H. was involved in an aviation accident near Fairbanks, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF WHEN HER FOOT INTERFERED AND RESTRICTED THE MOVEMENT OF THE RUDDER CONTROL SYSTEM. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
After landing, a pilot's boot toe caught on an aileron cable while trying to remove her foot from the right rudder pedal. She initiated a go-around, but the aircraft collided with an airport sign shortly after becoming airborne.
Incident Overview
A pilot experienced a control interference event during a landing rollout. After touching down, she applied the right rudder pedal to align the airplane with the runway centerline. When she attempted to remove her foot from the rudder pedal, the toe of her boot became hung up on an aileron cable that runs alongside the elevator control tube.
Sequence of Events
Realizing that the airplane was about to depart the side of the runway, the pilot applied power to execute a go-around. Just after becoming airborne, the aircraft collided with an airport sign. No further details about the extent of damage or injuries were provided in the source.
Contributing Factors
The source does not explicitly state a probable cause for the incident. The event chain involves a mechanical interference between the pilot's footwear and the aileron cable, which impeded normal rudder pedal operation and led to an off-runway excursion and subsequent collision during the go-around.