Maule M-6-235 accident near Willoughby, Ohio, July 11, 1993
On July 11, 1993 at about 1:15 pm local time, a Maule M-6-235, registered N56476, was destroyed in an accident near Willoughby, Ohio (Lost Nation Muni airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING A PULLUP MANEUVER, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF ALTITUDE FOR RECOVERY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 1993 · about 1:15 pm local time
- Place
- Willoughby, Ohio · Lost Nation Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-6-235 · all M-6-235s on the register
- Registration
- N56476 · no longer on the register · serial 7424C
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO PICK UP AND TOW A BANNER. A WITNESS, A GROUNDCREW MEMBER LOCATED BENEATH THE AIRPLANE'S FLIGHT PATH, STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE TOOK OFF AND THE PILOT STARTED TO INITIATE THE AERIAL PICK UP. THE WITNESS STATED THAT HE SAW THAT THE TOW LINE WAS NOT IN ITS CORRECT POSITION FOR BANNER PICK UP SO HE WAVED TO THE PILOT TO ABORT THE PICK UP. THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE SIDE STEPPED THE RUNWAY AND THEN PITCHED UP INTO A VERTICAL CLIMB AND SHALLOW LEFT TURN. THE WITNESS STATED THAT AT ABOUT 150 FEET IN THE AIR, THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE FELL TO LEFT AND THE AIRPLANE FELL TO THE GROUND. THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING DURING THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL ANY AIRFRAME OR ENGINE ANOMALIES. THE BANNER HITCH AND HITCH INSTALLATION WERE EXAMINED WITH NO ANOMALIES NOTED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,272 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 58 in the last 30 days; 1,146 as pilot in command; 3 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 30, 1993; 101 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-W1A5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LNN at 12:35 pm
- Destination: LNN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,012 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; not recorded at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:45 pm from LNN, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N56476 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.