No fatalities

6 Oct 2018: Maule M7 235B — Aeromarine Publishing Corp — Medford, OR

Medford, OR, United States

On 6 Oct 2018, a Maule M7 235B operated by Aeromarine Publishing Corp was involved in an aviation accident near Medford, OR. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During landing roll, a wind gust lifted the left wing, causing the tailwheel airplane to veer right and depart the runway despite full control inputs. The right wing sustained substantial damage.

Accident Details

A tailwheel-equipped airplane experienced a loss of directional control during the landing roll at an airport, resulting in a runway excursion and substantial damage to the right wing.

According to the pilot, while rolling out after landing, a gust of wind from the left caused the left wing to rise. The airplane then veered to the right. The pilot applied full aileron, rudder, and brake in an attempt to regain control, but the airplane continued to deviate. The pilot reported hearing a loud noise before the airplane veered sharply and came to rest on an adjacent taxiway.

Damage

The right wing of the airplane sustained substantial damage. No other damage was reported.

Mechanical Assessment

The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Weather Information

The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 23 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 330 degrees at 10 knots. The airplane had landed on runway 32.

Conclusion

The accident sequence involved a wind gust during the landing roll that upset the airplane's stability, leading to a loss of control despite the pilot's corrective inputs.

Contributing factors

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot