Maule M 7-235B N367FS

Summary

On 24 April 2016 at about 19:00 local time, a Maule M 7-235B registered N367FS was involved in an accident near Littleton, North Carolina, United States. 3 people were 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

24 April 2016 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Littleton, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Lake (NONE)

Coordinates

36.4794, -77.9236

Aircraft

Maule M 7-235B

Registration

N367FS

Category

Airplane

Year built

2005

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Littleton → Littleton

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA16LA181

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent damage to the left float.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot had owned the amphibious airplane for 3 weeks, and had performed about 30 water landings in the airplane. The pilot stated that, during takeoff on the accident flight, the airplane was veering "severely" to the left; however, he continued the takeoff. The flight was unremarkable, and the pilot returned to the lake to land the airplane. Upon touchdown, the airplane veered to the left, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The passenger stated that the airplane bounced during the landing, and a witness stated that the airplane landed "hard" on the water, bounced about 10 ft into the air, then impacted the water again. Examination of the left float skin revealed signatures consistent with overstress failure. It is likely that the pilot's hard, bounced landing resulted in the failure of the left float skin.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.