N333DD

On June 24, 2005, about 1000 Pacific daylight time, a Maule M-7-235B, N333DD, registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, was unable to maintain directional control during the landing roll at Hermiston Municipal, Hermiston, Oregon, due to damage sustained to the landing gear during a previous takeoff from a private airstrip. During the landing roll at Hermiston, the airplane ground looped. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the commercial pilot and pilot rated passenger were not injured. The flight had departed from a private airstrip near La Grande, Oregon, about 30 minutes prior to the accident.

During a telephone interview and subsequent written statement, the pilot reported that during the take off ground roll on the sod covered airstrip, the left main wheel hit something, possibly a badger hole. The pilot stated that be began to lose directional control, so he pulled the airplane into the air. The airplane remained airborne for a few seconds, then touched down hard on the left main wheel again. The pilot was able to get the airplane airborne and circled the airstrip. A person on the ground was in radio contact with the pilot and reported that the left main gear was collapsed. At this time there appeared to be no other damage and the pilot decided to fly to Hermiston, which has a paved runway.

The pilot set-up for a landing to runway 22 and accomplished a "full stall 2-point landing on the right side of the runway." When the left side came down on the collapsed gear, the aircraft slid off the left side of the runway and turned about 45 degrees to the left before coming to a stop. During the landing roll, the airplane sustained a propeller strike and the left side horizontal stabilizer contacted the surface resulting in substantial damage.