Maule M-7-235 N897M
19 August 2002 · Palmer, Alaska, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 19 August 2002 at about 17:00 local time, a Maule M-7-235 registered N897M was involved in an accident near Palmer, Alaska, 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.
The record
- Date
- at 17:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Palmer, Alaska, United States
- Coordinates
- 61.5833, -149.0930
- Aircraft
- Maule M-7-235
- Registration
- N897M
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Palmer → Palmer
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC02LA099
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Probable cause
The fracture of the right main landing gear axle during landing roll. Factors associated with the accident were corrosion of the landing gear axle, failure of company maintenance personnel to adequately inspect the axle and detect the corrosion, and rough and uneven terrain.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The commercial pilot was landing the tundra-tire equipped airplane atop a mountain ridge. During the landing roll on the rough and uneven terrain, the right main landing gear axle broke allowing the right wheel to separate from the airplane. The airplane pivoted to the right, and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. Following retrieval of the airplane, an FAA airworthiness inspector examined the broken axle. He reported that a visual inspection of the broken landing gear axle revealed that the fracture traveled through a drilled hole in the axle. The FAA inspector said that the drilled hole is used when the airplane has a wheel/ski kit installed. He added that there was a substantial amount of corrosion and rust within and around the fracture surface. The operator reported that the time in service of the failed landing gear axle was about 2,500 hours, and the time since inspection was about 1,800 hours.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Maule M-7 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Jun 2002 | Maule M-7-260C | Fishers, Indiana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 15 Mar 2002 | Maule M-7-260 | Montague, California, United States | George A. Cordingly, Jr. | No injuries | - |
| 1 Oct 2002 | Maule M-7-235C | San Antonio, Texas, United States | Gregory L. Vrentas | Minor injuries | - |
| 20 Jan 2002 | Maule M-7-235B | Sarasota, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Jun 2002 | Maule M-7-235C | Carrollton, Georgia, United States | William Deney | No injuries | - |
| 17 Oct 2002 | Maule M-7-235 | Wrangell, Alaska, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jun 2002 | Piper PA-18 | Fairbanks, Alaska, United States | Uriah Strong | No injuries | - |
| 8 Aug 2002 | Williamson GLASTAR | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 11 Sep 2002 | Cessna 180 | Tenakee Springs, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Sep 2002 | De Havilland DHC-2 | Bethel, Alaska, United States | Ptarmigan Air | No injuries | - |
| 17 Mar 2002 | McDonnell Douglas MD-82 | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | Alaska Airlines, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 12 Jul 2002 | De Havilland DHC-2 | Port Alsworth, Alaska, United States | Minta Inc | Fatal | 4 |