No fatalities

2 Jan 2012: MAULE M-5-180C — River Ranch, FL

River Ranch, FL, United States

On 2 Jan 2012, a MAULE M-5-180C was involved in an aviation accident near River Ranch, FL. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control after encountering a wind gust during landing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 5 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported that during a landing in clear visual conditions with no wind indication, a gust pushed the aircraft off the runway, causing wing and stabilizer contact with the ground.

Incident Overview

A pilot conducted a flight under visual flight rules in clear weather. Upon arriving at the intended airport, the pilot observed no other aircraft, received no radio communications indicating the active landing direction, and saw no signs of wind direction. The airport's windsock provided no indication of wind or direction.

Landing Attempt

The pilot chose to land on runway 16. As the airplane touched down, an unexpected gust from the left pushed the aircraft to the right, off the centerline. In response, the pilot applied left brake to straighten the airplane. However, the left wingtip and the left horizontal stabilizer tip contacted the ground before the airplane departed the right side of the runway.

Outcome and Damage

The airplane came to a stop with its nose on the ground. The propeller was damaged, and the left wing and left horizontal stabilizer sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations.

Contributing factors

Causes

Pilot

Other contributing factors

Awareness of condition