Maule M-4C accident near Blue Earth, Minnesota, October 14, 1985
On October 14, 1985 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Maule M-4C, registered N9845M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Blue Earth, Minnesota (Blue Earth airport). It was an instructional 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 14, 1985 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Blue Earth, Minnesota · Blue Earth · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-4C · all M-4Cs on the register
- Registration
- N9845M · registry record · serial 4C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT NOSED OVER AFTER DEPARTING THE RWY FOLLOWING A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING. THE CFI STATED THAT AS THE TAILWHEEL TOUCHED THE RWY THE ACFT BEGAN VEERING TO THE RIGHT. HE APPLIED BRAKES AND FULL LEFT RUDDER CAUSING THELEFT WHEEL RIM TO FAIL. THE ACFT THEN CONTINUED OFF THE RWY WHERE IT NOSED OVER. THE LANDING WAS BEING MADE ON RWY 16 WITH WINDS FROM 240 DEGS AT 12 KTS.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 7,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,047 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FRM Fairmont MN at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from FRM, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 CHI86LA011.