NTSB Reports: June 2017

While on the base leg for his private grass airstrip, the pilot noticed he was high, so he added flaps to increase his descent rate. On final, the airspeed was a little fast and during the landing, he flared the airplane a little high. After touchdown, the pilot applied the brakes, but the airplane did not respond, so he applied a little more brake. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, sustaining substantial damage to both wings and the empennage. The pilot reported he should have performed a go-around instead of attempting to salvage the landing.

Editorial Staff

Wednesday, May 17, 2017 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

A significant number of accidents occurred during the landing phase, often involving issues such as retracted or collapsed landing gear, high/fast approaches, or loss of control in gusty crosswind conditions.
Pilot judgment and decision-making were critical factors in several incidents, including attempts to "salvage" landings instead of performing a go-around, flying unfamiliar aircraft, or misjudging conditions at unlit or unmaintained airstrips.
Mechanical failures, such as engine power loss during takeoff or flight, and propeller strikes by foreign objects, also led to forced landings or substantial aircraft damage.

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March 1, 2017, Live Oak, Calif.
Maule MX-7-180A

While on the base leg for his private grass airstrip, the pilot noticed he was high, so he added flaps to increase his descent rate. On final, the airspeed was a little fast and during the landing, he flared the airplane “a little high.” After touchdown, the pilot applied the brakes, but the airplane did not respond, so he applied “a little more brake.” The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, sustaining substantial damage to both wings and the empennage. The pilot reported he should have performed a go-around instead of attempting to “salvage the landing.”