NTSB CEN23LA132 — 2023-03-13 · Hotchkiss, Colorado, United States

Current FAA registration · N235TT

Make / Model: MAULE M-7-235B
Year of manufacture: 1996 · 27 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING 0-540 SERIES (250 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19960208
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A21CCE

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N235TT Maule M-7-235B None

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s loss of control during landing rollout on a snow-covered, turf airstrip.

Factual narrative

The pilot planned to land at a Bureau of Land Management backcountry landing strip he had previously visited over 100 times. After completing multiple low passes to assess the snow depth and overall conditions of the landing area, he executed a soft field landing in a 3-point, full stall attitude. During the rollout, the drag from the snow was greater than expected and he was unable to maintain control. The airplane nosed over at low speed and came to rest inverted. The vertical stabilizer, rudder, and right-wing struts sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures 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.

— Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
— Environmental issues-Physical environment-Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface-Snow/slush/ice covered surface-Effect on operation

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2023_CEN23LA132.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

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Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (stall, loss of control). All research papers