Maule M-4-220C accident near Westmoreland, Tennessee, January 30, 2010
On January 30, 2010 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Maule M-4-220C, registered N40668, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Westmoreland, Tennessee (Private Strip 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 clearance from a snow drift.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 30, 2010 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Westmoreland, Tennessee · Private Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-4-220C · all M-4-220Cs on the register
- Registration
- N40668 · no longer on the register · serial 2175C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Upon arrival at his destination, the pilot entered right traffic to runway 19. The runway was covered with snow and snow drifts. He completed the before-landing checks and landed on the runway. During the landing rollout the left main landing gear collided with a snow drift. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, resulting in structural damage to the left wing and vertical stabilizer. The pilot and one passenger exited the airplane unassisted and without injury. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical problems with the airplane.
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Snow/slush/ice covered › Response/compensation
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,634 hours in all; 164 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 10,226 as pilot in command; 2,965 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 7, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,888 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 7, 2009; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A350C1R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3M7 Lafayette TN at 6:45 pm
- Destination: Westmoreland TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 1,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from BWG, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.