NTSB CEN20CA388 — 2020-09-07 · Brazoria, Texas, United States

Current FAA registration · N897DC

Make / Model: MAULE MX-7-180A
Engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER (180 hp)
Seats / Engines: 5 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19931028
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S AC5FA3

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N897DC Maule MX7 None

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during a go-around from unsuitable terrain.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that he was attempting an off-airport landing in a tailwheel-equipped airplane to a location that he had not previously landed. He stated that just prior to touchdown he realized it was not a suitable landing area and he initiated a go-around. During the go-around, the airplane touched down on soft ground and tall grass, which caused the airplane to sink into the ground and nose over. The right lift strut was substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - C
C Environmental issues-Physical environment-Terrain-Rough terrain-Decision related to condition - C
— Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2020_CEN20CA388.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.

Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (go-around). All research papers