N116CP

On August 4, 2001, at approximately 1300 mountain daylight time, a Maule MT-7-235, N116CP, operated by National Headquarters Civil Air Patrol (CAP), was substantially damaged during a hard landing at Las Cruces International Airport, Las Cruces, New Mexico. The pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for this repositioning flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight departed Las Cruces at approximately 1230.

According to the pilot, he was returning from a glider tow operation and was landing on runway 22. He deployed full flaps, "4th notch," for the approach. The airplane landed hard and porpoised several times. The final impact with the runway collapsed the nose landing gear. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and nose landing gear. Witnesses corroborated the pilot's accident report.

According to the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB form 6120.1/2), the pilot reported 2,200 hours of total flight time in all aircraft and 11 hours of flight time in make and model.

According to the "Normal Procedures" in Section III of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved Airplane Flight Manual, the recommended flap setting for landing is "Normally third notch (40 degrees/full flaps) - other positions permissible."

A manufacturer's representative stated that, the Maule MT-7-235, is normally equipped with a flap configuration providing only "three notches" of flap selection and that the use of a specific flap selection for landing is "optional." He also stated that different versions of the Maule can be equipped with a flap configuration providing a "fourth notch."

Weather at the time of the accident was, wind, 300 degrees at 3 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles; temperature, 31 degrees Celsius; dew point, 9 degrees Celsius; and an altimeter setting of 30.15. The airport elevation is 4,454 feet mean sea level (msl). The calculated density altitude is 7,187 feet msl.