Maule M-7-235C accident near Collbran, Colorado, September 16, 2000
On September 16, 2000 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Maule M-7-235C, registered N4255P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Collbran, Colorado (Private Airstrip 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 maintain directional control during the landing flare and roll. Factors were the tree and fences.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 16, 2000 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Collbran, Colorado · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-7-235C · all M-7-235Cs on the register
- Registration
- N4255P · no longer on the register · serial 25026C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot made two low passes over the east-west runway, one in each direction. The third pass was made to the east at an approach speed of 65 mph, using 40 degrees of flaps. The airplane stalled 4 to 6 feet above, and 100 to 200 feet down, the 900-foot long runway. The airplane contacted the left side of the runway in a 3-point attitude. The left main gear went through tall grass and into a small ditch. Full power was applied to abort the landing. The pilot turned the airplane 40 degrees to the right in an attempt to avoid a juniper tree at the end of the runway, but the left wing struck its branches, damaging the outer one-third of the wing leading edge. The airplane went through a barbed wire fence, across a gravel road, then went through another barbed wire fence before coming to a halt in a field.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,867 hours in all; 293 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 1,806 as pilot in command; 183 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 7, 1999
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-W1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GJT Grand Junction CO at 2:30 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 900 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from GJT, 31 miles away
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.