Maule M4 N40661

Summary

On 3 September 2016 at about 22:00 local time, a Maule M4 registered N40661 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

3 September 2016 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Talkeetna, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

62.8900, -149.1720

Aircraft

Maule M4

Registration

N40661

Category

Airplane

Year built

1973

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Talkeetna → Talkeetna

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA16CA468

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to recognize and compensate for tailwind conditions during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway overrun and nose over.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of a tailwheel equipped airplane reported that he was landing on a backcountry airstrip. He reported that after touchdown, about two-thirds of the way down the runway during the landing roll, the wind shifted to a tailwind. He further reported that the airplane over ran the runway, impacted a hill, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. According to the pilot the wind was variable at 7-8 knots prior to the accident. The Federal Aviation Administration has published the Advisory Circular (AC) 91-79A. This AC discusses the hazards associated with runway overruns and the effect of a tailwind on landing distance and states in part: The pilot must be aware of airspeed during the approach and of the targeted reference landing airspeed (VREF)/airspeed, plus wind gust adjustments, over the runway threshold. An excessive approach speed may result in an excessive speed over the runway's threshold, which may result in landing beyond the intended touchdown point as well as a higher speed from which the pilot must bring the airplane to a stop. The effect of a tailwind on landing distance is significant and is a factor in determining the landing distance required. Given the airplane will land at a particular airspeed, independent of the wind, the principal effect of a tailwind on operational landing distance is the change in the ground speed at which the airplane touches down.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.