Maule M-7-235 accident near Palmer, Alaska, August 19, 2002
On August 19, 2002 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Maule M-7-235, registered N897M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palmer, Alaska. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The fracture of the right main landing gear axle during landing roll. Factors associated with the accident were corrosion of the landing gear axle, failure of company maintenance personnel to adequately inspect the axle and detect the corrosion, and rough and uneven terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 19, 2002 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Palmer, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-7-235 · all M-7-235s on the register
- Registration
- N897M · registry record · serial 4064C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was landing the tundra-tire equipped airplane atop a mountain ridge. During the landing roll on the rough and uneven terrain, the right main landing gear axle broke allowing the right wheel to separate from the airplane. The airplane pivoted to the right, and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. Following retrieval of the airplane, an FAA airworthiness inspector examined the broken axle. He reported that a visual inspection of the broken landing gear axle revealed that the fracture traveled through a drilled hole in the axle. The FAA inspector said that the drilled hole is used when the airplane has a wheel/ski kit installed. He added that there was a substantial amount of corrosion and rust within and around the fracture surface. The operator reported that the time in service of the failed landing gear axle was about 2,500 hours, and the time since inspection was about 1,800 hours.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 3,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 27, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,484.5 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 12, 2002; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAQ Palmer AK at 11:40 am
- Destination: PAQ Palmer AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N897M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC02LA099.