On August 24, 1996, a Maule M-7 (registration N897M) operated by Grasshopper Adventures was involved in an aviation accident near Palmer, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which was caused by a rock puncturing the right tire. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
Aircraft registered N897M. Photo: Jeroen Stroes Aviation Photography from Netherlands / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A pilot attempting an off-airport pickup lost directional control after a rock punctured the right tire, causing the aircraft to depart the runway and nosed over in vegetation.
What happened
The pilot was conducting a landing at an unimproved location to retrieve passengers. During the rollout phase, debris on the surface caused a mechanical failure; specifically, a rock struck and punctured the right main tire. The sudden loss of pressure led to immediate directional instability.
Unable to maintain control of the aircraft's path, the airplane veered off the right side of the intended landing area. It then impacted alder bushes, resulting in a nose-over attitude for the airframe.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which was caused by a rock puncturing the right tire.
