Aviation Crash Map

Maule M-5-235C N56500

1 January 2026 · Jay Em, Wyoming, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 1 January 2026 at about 17:00 local time, a Maule M-5-235C registered N56500 was involved in an accident near Jay Em, Wyoming, 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.

The record

Date
at 17:00
Classification
Accident
Location
Jay Em, Wyoming, United States
Coordinates
42.4590, -104.3737
Aircraft
Maule M-5-235C
Registration
N56500
Category
Airplane
Year built
1983
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Lance Creek → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
WPR26LA075

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 0 1

Probable cause

The loss of directional control and subsequent nose over due to the inadvertent engagement of the right wheel parking brake as a result of cabin floor carpeting migrating between the right brake master cylinder and parking brake locking lever.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was conducting a personal flight and elected to land on a grass strip located on a friend’s property. Prior to landing, the pilot performed several low passes to assess the landing area. The pilot stated that the approach and touchdown were normal. During the landing rollt, as he applied brakes, the airplane abruptly yawed right and nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, lift struts, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. Postaccident examination of the airplane by the pilot and a mechanic revealed that the right wheel was locked, while the left wheel rotated freely. Further examination by the mechanic revealed that cabin floor carpet had migrated upward and was lodged between the right brake master cylinder and the parking brake locking lever, which resulted in the right wheel parking brake being engaged.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Maule M-5 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
6 Jul 2026 Maule M-5-235C
N9103E
Hickman, Kentucky, United States - Serious injuries -
9 Dec 2025 Maule M-5-210C
N339X
Eureka, Montana, United States - No injuries -
13 Sep 2025 Maule M-5-235C
N343GA
Point MacKenzie, Alaska, United States - Serious injuries -
1 Oct 2024 Maule M-5-235C
N5636D
Soda Springs, Idaho, United States - Minor injuries -
1 Jun 2024 Maule M-5-210C
N62062
Hooper, Utah, United States - No injuries -
5 Jul 2023 Maule M-5-210C
N51592
Kusatan, Alaska, United States - No injuries -

All 221 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
10 Apr 2026 Marshall Daniel R L-21
N453HC
Cody, Wyoming, United States - No injuries -
3 Jul 2026 Dean J Irvin KFA SAFARI XL
N927MD
Saratoga, Wyoming, United States - No injuries -
7 Jul 2026 Aeronca 7AC
N1097E
Buffalo, Wyoming, United States - No injuries -
9 Jul 2026 Cessna 180
N3339D
Marbleton, Wyoming, United States - No injuries -
19 Jan 2026 Robinson R44
N996NR
Parkman, Wyoming, United States Native Range Capture Services Inc No injuries -
17 Jan 2026 Maule M-7-235B
N116G
Cody, Wyoming, United States - No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States