Maule M-5-180C N244RC

Summary

On 30 November 2010 at about 19:50 local time, a Maule M-5-180C registered N244RC, operated by John R. Armstrong, was involved in an accident near Emory, Texas, 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

30 November 2010 at 19:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Emory, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Private (NONE)

Coordinates

32.9128, -95.7425

Aircraft

Maule M-5-180C

Registration

N244RC

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

John R. Armstrong

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Durant → Emory

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN11LA086

1 person died.

The pilot's loss of control and failure to attain/maintain adequate airspeed during an attempted go-around after a hard bounced landing, resulting in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s recent minimal experience in airplane make/model and in operations at the grass airstrip.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to a witness, the airplane bounced twice during landing before power was applied, and the airplane climbed to an altitude of 100 feet. The witness observed the airplane "wobble" left and right, before it banked to the left and entered a spin. The airplane impacted the terrain in a near-vertical attitude and was destroyed in the ensuing postcrash fire. Witness reports and recorded weather observations indicated the presence of a gusty crosswind at the time of the accident. The accident occurred on the pilot's private airstrip; however, he had limited experience operating from the airstrip, and he also had limited experience in the accident airplane. According to the pilot's family, prior to recently purchasing the airplane, he had not flown for 25 years.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.