N246SV

On November 4, 2003, at 1745 mountain standard time, a Maule M-7-235C, N246SV, operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it ground-looped during landing roll at Truth or Consequences Municipal Airport (TCS), Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. The airline transport certificated pilot and his passenger were not injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan had been filed for this personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Telluride, Colorado, at 1530.

The pilot stated that prior to the night landing, he received weather reports from the automated surface observation system (ASOS) that reported winds from 280 degrees and 250 degrees at 5 knots. He set up for a landing on runway 31 and used full flaps (40 degrees). The pilot said he held the airplane in a slight left crab to compensate for the crosswind. The pilot stated that he leveled off "a little high" and "lost [sight of] the runway" during the landing flare. As the airplane landed, it swerved to the left side of the runway. He stated that he added power for a go-around and was briefly airborne, but he said he became disoriented because of the "dark mountain ahead." When he aborted the attempted go-around, the airplane departed the right side of the runway, and ground-looped. The ground-loop buckled the left wing, collapsed the left main landing gear, and separated the tail wheel.

At 1753, the reported weather conditions at Truth or Consequences was: wind, 240 degrees at 10 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles; sky condition, clear; temperature, 61 degrees F.; dew point, 12 degrees F.; altimeter setting, 29.93. According to the Sun and Moon data, the Moon was in waxing gibbous with 84 percent of the Moon's visible disk illuminated.