No fatalities

2 Feb 2020: Maule M7 260 — Manchester, NH

Manchester, NH, United States

On 2 Feb 2020, a Maule M7 260 was involved in an aviation accident near Manchester, NH. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's improper landing flare in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a bounced landing, and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control, which resulted in a ground-loop. 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 a crosswind landing, a tailwheel-equipped airplane bounced and veered left, causing the right wing to strike the surface and the airplane to ground loop. Substantial damage to the right wing occurred. No preaccident mechanical failures were reported.

Incident Overview

A tailwheel-equipped airplane experienced a ground loop during a crosswind landing. The pilot reported that the airplane bounced and veered to the left after touchdown. The right wing subsequently struck the surface, leading to a ground loop to the left.

Flight Details

The landing was conducted on runway 35 at an airport with an automated weather observation station. At the time of the accident, the wind was reported as 300° at 8 knots, indicating a crosswind component relative to the runway. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have prevented normal operation.

Damage

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing as a result of the ground loop.

Contributing factors

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedLanding flare — Not attained/maintainedPilotEffect on operation