N62015 – Maule M-5-210C – 2006-04-23 NTSB Accident Report

On April 23, 2006, a Maule M-5-210C (N62015) was involved in an incident near Linville, VA. 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 decision to depart with a tailwind.

The pilot did not note any abnormalities with the airplane during the preflight inspection, taxi, or run-up. The pilot preferred to depart to the northeast because there were obstructions located at the southwest end of the 900-foot long, grass runway, even with a tailwind. He would typically set the flaps to 10 degrees during the takeoff roll; however during the accident takeoff, he forgot to set the flaps. The downwind takeoff roll extended beyond the normal liftoff point, and about 650 feet down the runway, and about 40 mph indicated airspeed, the pilot aborted the takeoff. The airplane subsequently overran the runway and impacted trees. Following the accident, the pilot reported that the tailwind may have been stronger than he anticipated.

This incident is documented in NTSB report NYC06CA103. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N62015.