Maule MX-7-235 accident near Nashville, Tennessee, March 7, 2004
On March 7, 2004 at about 11:36 pm local time, a Maule MX-7-235, registered N5655P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nashville, Tennessee (Nashville International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind and his failure to maintain aircraft control which resulted in a hard landing. The pilot's decision to land in wind conditions that exceeded the demonstrated crosswind component, wind gusts, and a crosswind were contributing factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made September 29, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 2004 · about 11:36 pm local time
- Place
- Nashville, Tennessee · Nashville International · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule MX-7-235 · all MX-7-235s on the register
- Registration
- N5655P · registry record · serial 10003C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, during the landing flare on runway 31, a strong gust of wind from the left lifted the airplane and the pilot was unable to maintain control and landed hard on the right main landing gear and ground looped. Examination of the airplane revealed, the right wing assembly, fuselage, and right main strut was buckled. No flight control or mechanical anomalies were reported by the pilot prior to the accident. Review of the weather conditions for Nashville International Airport at 1744 reported winds at 300 degrees,17 knots gusting to 25 knots. Review of the Maule MX-7-235; Airplane Flight Manual, Normal Flight Procedures, section 3.3-F: Crosswind Landings & Takeoffs, states: Maximum demonstrated crosswind component is 12 knots (14 mph) and flap extension should be limited to 0-degrees (one notch) or -7 degrees with such crosswind or higher. 14 mph is the maximum demonstrated for certification of the airplane and is not considered limiting with flaps at 0-degrees.
The NTSB's narratives can run to many pages; this is the opening. Read the full report at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database and is rewritten in plain English only where the NTSB used codes; the probable cause and narrative are the NTSB's own words. 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 ATL04LA080.