Summary
On July 31, 2001, a Maule M-7-235C (N17FR) was involved in an incident near Flagstaff, AZ. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing and his failure to maintain directional control, resulting in a ground loop.
On July 31, 2001, at 0710 hours mountain standard time, a Maule M-7-235C, N17FR, ground looped after landing at the Flagstaff Pulliam Airport, Flagstaff, Arizona. The airplane was owned and operated by the private pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, and sustained substantial damage. The pilot and a pilot-rated passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that departed at 0635, and no flight plan had been filed.
The Safety Board investigator interviewed the pilot. The pilot stated that he was going to go out and practice three-point landings, touch-and-go takeoffs and landings, and then maybe do some flying around the area. There were no discrepancies noted with the first landing.
This incident is documented in NTSB report LAX01LA266. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N17FR.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing and his failure to maintain directional control, resulting in a ground loop.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On July 31, 2001, at 0710 hours mountain standard time, a Maule M-7-235C, N17FR, ground looped after landing at the Flagstaff Pulliam Airport, Flagstaff, Arizona. The airplane was owned and operated by the private pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, and sustained substantial damage. The pilot and a pilot-rated passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that departed at 0635, and no flight plan had been filed.
The Safety Board investigator interviewed the pilot. The pilot stated that he was going to go out and practice three-point landings, touch-and-go takeoffs and landings, and then maybe do some flying around the area. There were no discrepancies noted with the first landing. On the second landing, touchdown was normal, and then the airplane veered off the runway and ground looped.
The pilot stated that the weather was overcast with some haze, but that the winds were calm. He further indicated that there were no mechanical difficulties noted with the airplane.
In the pilot's written statement to the Safety Board, he indicated that on the second landing he flared "a little bit high." After touchdown the airplane bounced, which he stated, wasn't serious and attempted to "fix it." The airplane started an immediate turn to the right, and he wasn't able to apply enough left rudder to return to runway centerline, so he added power at the edge of the runway. He was near an embankment off to the side of runway 21's taxiway. He applied full power, hoping to turn the airplane before it collided with the embankment. The airplane started to turn to the left and encountered another embankment. He attempted to jump the airplane over the embankment; however, the landing gear caught part of the embankment and the airplane bounced over and onto the runway. He shutoff the airplane and he and his passenger exited the airplane without further incident.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# LAX01LA266