Maule M-4-210C N2026U

Summary

On 18 September 1993 at about 18:02 local time, a Maule M-4-210C registered N2026U, operated by Ridge and Valley Soaring, was involved in an accident near Staunton, Virginia, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 September 1993 at 18:02

Classification

Accident

Location

Staunton, Virginia, United States

Coordinates

38.1494, -79.0609

Aircraft

Maule M-4-210C

Registration

N2026U

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Ridge and Valley Soaring

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Waynesboro

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

BFO93FA178

1 person died.

INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT WHICH RESULTED IN INADEQUATE ALTITUDE TO CLEAR THE EMBANKMENT DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE A TAILWIND ON TAKEOFF AND RISING TERRAIN AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE GRASS AIRSTRIP.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT OF AN AIRPLANE INVOLVED IN A GLIDER TOW OPERATION WAS ATTEMPTING TO TOW A GLIDER OUT OF A FIELD WHEN THE AIRPLANE STRUCK AN EMBANKMENT ALONG THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND NOSED OVER. THE GLIDER PILOT REPORTED THAT THE FLIGHT HAD DEPARTED EARLIER FROM ANOTHER FIELD, AND DUE TO A DESCENDING TURN MADE BY THE TOW AIRPLANE TO AVOID SOME CLOUDS, HE DISCONNECTED HIS GLIDER AND LANDED SAFELY IN A FIELD. THE PILOT OF THE TOW AIRPLANE RADIOED THE GLIDER PILOT AND TOLD HIM THAT HE WOULD RETURN TO THE FIELD TO TOW THE GLIDER OUT OF THE FIELD. THE TOW AIRPLANE PILOT OVERFLEW THE FIELD AND LANDED SUCCESSFULLY. ACCORDING TO THE GLIDER PILOT, BOTH PILOTS WALKED THE FIELD TO MAKE A DETERMINATION AS TO WHETHER THERE WAS ENOUGH TAKEOFF DISTANCE FOR TOWING. THE GLIDER PILOT STATED THAT THERE WAS A TAILWIND, BUT IT WAS AGREED UPON BY BOTH PILOTS THAT THERE WAS ENOUGH TAKEOFF DISTANCE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.