Pilot Debrief

MAULE M 5-235C near Roxbury, KS — 2018-04-24

Final reportCEN18LA148
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Date
2018-04-24
Location
Roxbury, KS, USA
Aircraft
MAULE M 5-235C
Registration
N9281E
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff from a road, which resulted in impact with a sign.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot had landed to check on a field for his cattle and was subsequently departing from a road in his tailwheel-equipped airplane. The pilot reported that, as the tailwheel lifted off, the airplane turned to the left. The pilot said that he was slow to respond with rudder input and that his rudder application was inadequate. The airplane traveled left a few feet and the left wingtip hit a highway sign as the airplane became airborne. The pilot continued the takeoff over a tower and its guy wires, but, because he was aware of the structural damage to the airplane, he performed a precautionary landing to a field, during which the airplane impacted trees. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have chosen a different takeoff location instead of the roadway.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 1 docket document
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents1

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