Maule M-4C accident near Lincoln, Maine, August 9, 2012
On August 9, 2012 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Maule M-4C, registered N9838M, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Lincoln, Maine (Lincoln Regional 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 roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 2012 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Lincoln, Maine · Lincoln Regional · 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
- N9838M · registry record · serial 2C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting takeoffs and landings in the airport traffic pattern to familiarize himself with the tailwheel-equipped airplane. The pilot attempted to perform a "wheel landing" (touching down on the main landing gear only and gradually allowing the tailwheel to settle to the ground), and the airplane veered to the left during the landing roll. The pilot attempted to correct with aileron and rudder inputs; however, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, substantially damaging both wings and the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane, and stated that he had no prior flight experience in the accident airplane make and model.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 317 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 0 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 10 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,350 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 15, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-300 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LRG Lincoln ME at 3:10 pm
- Destination: LRG Lincoln ME
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,804 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from MLT, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.