Summary
On July 25, 2009, a Maule M-4-220C (N11EN) was involved in an incident near Abernathy, TX. 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 failure of the fuselage's tube structure due to corrosion during a hard landing.
The pilot with one passenger on-board the airplane was practicing landings to familiarize the passenger with the airplane. During one of the landings, the airplane landed "firm." After noticing added noise in the cabin and the "seats being jarred” they taxied back to the hangar. The pilot reported that a fuselage tube had failed due to a "pre-existing weakened condition." The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector who examined the airplane reported that the fuselage tube displayed evidence of corrosion.
This incident is documented in NTSB report CEN09CA521. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N11EN.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The failure of the fuselage's tube structure due to corrosion during a hard landing.
Aircraft Information
Analysis
The pilot with one passenger on-board the airplane was practicing landings to familiarize the passenger with the airplane. During one of the landings, the airplane landed "firm." After noticing added noise in the cabin and the "seats being jarred” they taxied back to the hangar. The pilot reported that a fuselage tube had failed due to a "pre-existing weakened condition." The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector who examined the airplane reported that the fuselage tube displayed evidence of corrosion.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN09CA521