Maule MX-7-180A accident near Pittsfield, Illinois, July 30, 2010
On July 30, 2010 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Maule MX-7-180A, registered N17MX, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Pittsfield, Illinois. 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of directional control during a precautionary off-field landing that he performed after encountering deteriorating weather conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 2010 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pittsfield, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Maule MX-7-180A · all MX-7-180As on the register
- Registration
- N17MX · registry record · serial 20043C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-instrument-rated pilot was on a cross-country flight when he encountered deteriorating weather conditions. The pilot was receiving flight following from air traffic control and, after discussing the weather conditions, he advised the controller that he was going to divert to a nearby airport. While en route to the airport, the airplane encountered increasingly lower cloud ceilings and the pilot elected to perform a precautionary off-field landing onto a county road. During the landing rollout the right main landing gear departed the road and the airplane subsequently impacted a ditch alongside the road. The primary fuselage structure and both wings were substantially damaged during the accident. A nearby airport weather observation station reported scattered clouds between 700 and 1,500 feet, an overcast ceiling at 2,100 feet, and a 5-mile ground visibility with drizzle.
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
- VFR encounter with IMC during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Loss of control on ground during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Low ceiling › Effect on operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 391 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 315 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 26, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,821.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C4F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KDDC Dodge City KS at 4:00 pm
- Destination: KSPI Springfield IL
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,100 ft; scat at 700 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 8:24 pm from KPPQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.