C-FCDM

On June 20, 2003, approximately 0740 Pacific daylight time, the wing of a Canadian-registered Maule M-7-235C, C-FCDM, impacted the runway surface during the landing roll at Grant County Airport, Moses Lake, Washington. The Canadian-certified pilot and his passenger were not injured, but the aircraft, which is owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The 14 CFR part 91 personal pleasure flight, which departed Oliver, British Columbia, Canada, about one hour prior to the accident, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. The aircraft was on a VFR flight plan, and the pilot was landing in Moses Lake in order to clear Customs. There was no report of an ELT activation.

According to the pilot, when he first contacted the tower, they cleared him to land on runway 14 Left. Because the Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) indicated the winds were coming from the southwest, he asked the tower what the current winds were. The tower controller told him the winds were from 240 degrees at approximately six knots, and then asked if he would like to land on runway 22. After the pilot answered affirmatively, he was cleared to land on runway 22. While he was on final, the pilot noticed there was a strong right quartering headwind. In an attempt to compensate for the wind conditions, the pilot elected to keep the right wing low during the landing flare, necessitating an initial touchdown on the right main gear. Although the touchdown in this manner was successful, during the landing roll, when the pilot lowered the left main gear to the runway, the right wing lifted into the air, and the left wing contacted the runway surface. The pilot said he believed the aircraft encountered a wind gust just as he lowered the left wheel to the runway surface, and he further stated that he did not feel there were any problems with the aircraft’s flight controls or tailwheel steering systems.