Maule M-7-235C accident near Durango, Colorado, January 19, 2001
On January 19, 2001 at about 8:35 pm local time, a Maule M-7-235C, registered N246SV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Durango, Colorado (Animas Air Park airport). 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 visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure by the pilot to maintain directional control of the aircraft during landing roll. A factor was the pilot's lack of experience in aircraft make and model.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 19, 2001 · about 8:35 pm local time
- Place
- Durango, Colorado · Animas Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-7-235C · all M-7-235Cs on the register
- Registration
- N246SV · registry record · serial 25068C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During landing roll at the completion of a cross country flight, the pilot lost directional control and the tail wheel configured aircraft exited the side of the runway. Wind at the time of the accident was a 5 knot cross wind. The aircraft had 28 hours total time and the pilot had 24 hours in the aircraft. His previous recent flight experience was in airline transport category aircraft.
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 engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 21,350 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 15,248 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 4, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 28 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 18, 2000; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-W1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CEZ Cortez CO at 8:05 pm
- Destination: 5CO0 Durango CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 5,010 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from DRO, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N246SV the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.