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WPR15CA006

2014-10-08 · Big Creek, Idaho, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport NONE

Current FAA registration · N11ZA

Make / Model
MAULE MX-7-235
Year of manufacture
1985 · 29 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING IO-540 SER (300 hp)
Seats / Engines
5 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19850208
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A02C1A

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while on final approach with shifting wind conditions.

Factual narrative

The pilot stated that when on short final the airplane encountered a sudden downdraft or slight wind shear, which caused the left wing to dip and contact the ground. Following the wing tip dip the airplane yawed left and the main landing gear touched down and collapsed. The resulting damage to the airplane was the right wing tip, left wing, left wing lift strut, and right main landing gear. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot stated that when on short final the airplane encountered a sudden downdraft or slight wind shear, which caused the left wing to dip and contact the ground. Following the wing tip dip the airplane yawed left and the main landing gear touched down and collapsed. The resulting damage to the airplane was the right wing tip, left wing, left wing lift strut, and right main landing gear. The pilot reported no preimpact 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.

  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Sudden wind shift-Effect on operation
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Yaw control-Not attained/maintained - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2014_WPR15CA006.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 (wind shear). All research papers