Maule M 5-235C N56332

Summary

On 8 September 2014 at about 19:23 local time, a Maule M 5-235C registered N56332, operated by Smith Paul G, was involved in an accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 September 2014 at 19:23

Classification

Accident

Location

Talkeetna, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

61.5799, -149.4393

Aircraft

Maule M 5-235C

Registration

N56332

Category

Airplane

Year built

1979

Engines

1

Operator

Smith Paul G

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wasilla → Talkeetna

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC14CA081

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's excessive taxi speed, which resulted in a loss of control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot had landed the tailwheel-equipped airplane up-slope, on a vegetation covered unimproved runway. He reported that he had landed at the same location four days prior without incident. While back taxiing on the downhill portion of the runway the airplane began to accelerate. The pilot applied the main wheel brakes in an effort to slow the airplane, but it continued into a soft muddy section, and it subsequently nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, rudder, and left wing lift strut. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. In the recommendation section of the NTSB Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1, the pilot stated that the accident may have been avoided if he had taxied at a slower speed, or if he had been more cautious of the changing runway conditions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.