Maule MX-7-235 accident near Chickala, Arkansas, January 26, 2023
On January 26, 2023 at about 6:15 pm local time, a 1985 Maule MX-7-235, registered N188DL, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Chickala, Arkansas (John Harris Field 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s decision to land on the snow-covered runway and his failure to attain/maintain aircraft control during landing rollout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 26, 2023 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Chickala, Arkansas · John Harris Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule MX-7-235, built 1985 · all MX-7-235s on the register
- Registration
- N188DL · registry record · serial 10026C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the personal flight reported that the flight was destined to his privately-owned airstrip, which was covered with approximately six inches of “very wet and dense” snow. During landing rollout, the airplane’s deceleration was typical but then decelerated faster than the pilot “could imagine.” The airplane tail rose very quickly, and the airplane then nosed over coming to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left and right wings, the vertical stabilizer, and the rudder. The pilot reported that there was no preaccident failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot also reported that the accident could have been prevented by using a snow depth limit of four inches if its liquid water content is unknown, and if landing in similar conditions, to land with a little power to keep the tail down.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Attain/maintain not possible
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,400 hours in all; 960 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: October 12, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,329.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 31, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-W1A5D (piston); 3,322 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HOT Hot Springs AR at 5:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from RUE, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 CEN23LA096.