Maule M-6-235 accident near Reserve, New Mexico, February 12, 2000
On February 12, 2000 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Maule M-6-235, registered N56507, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reserve, New Mexico (Reserve 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to adequately compensate for wind conditions. A factor was the wind gust.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 2000 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Reserve, New Mexico · Reserve · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-6-235 · all M-6-235s on the register
- Registration
- N56507 · no longer on the register · serial 7441C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that on his descent to the airport, the wind became 'light to moderate out of the south.' The midfield wind sock was 'straight out, indicating a left quartering wind to runway 24.' The final approach was 'rough,' and he decided to make a go-around. He noticed the wind sock at the end of the runway was 'hanging, bent in the middle.' The pilot said that on the second approach, he was able to maintain runway heading without introducing a crab angle. When he flared the airplane for landing, it ballooned 8 to 10 feet up into the air. He applied some power. As the airplane settled back to the ground, the left wing and nose came up and the pilot applied full power. Seeing trees and a beacon tower he would be unable to avoid, the pilot reduced power to idle. The airplane struck the ground and nosed over.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,725 hours in all; 1,456 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 1,574 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,561 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 24, 1999; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J1A5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Q35 Springerville AZ at 6:30 pm
- Destination: Q16
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 24, 4,800 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.