Maule M-7-235 accident near Soldotna, Alaska, May 10, 2023
On May 10, 2023 at about 9:10 pm local time, a 1994 Maule M-7-235, registered N30AG, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Soldotna, Alaska (Soldotna Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in gusting crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 10, 2023 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Soldotna, Alaska · Soldotna Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-7-235, built 1994 · all M-7-235s on the register
- Registration
- N30AG · registry record · serial 4131C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting touch-and-go landings in a tailwheel-equipped airplane during gusting crosswind conditions. The pilot reported that after landing, a gust of wind turned the airplane into the wind. When the pilot corrected for the turn, another gust of wind lifted the left wing and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 9,000 in this make and model; 0 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 19, 2022
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,397 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 18, 2023; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming L-2A740-40A O (piston); 3,397 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 2,000 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 23 knots, gusting 32
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.63 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from PAEN, 9 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAEN 102153Z 36023G32KT 10SM BKN070 09/01 A2963 RMK AO2 PK WND 36032/2146 SLP037 T00890011
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 ANC23LA033.