Maule M5 accident near Warrentown, Virginia, October 24, 2015
On October 24, 2015 at about 2:00 pm local time, a 1976 Maule M5, registered N406X, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Warrentown, Virginia (Warrenton Air Park airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance of a cattle-guard fence on landing. Contributing to the accident was his lack of recent flying experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 24, 2015 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Warrentown, Virginia · Warrenton Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M5 235C, built 1976 · all M5s on the register
- Registration
- N406X · no longer on the register · serial 7039C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot stated that this was his first flight in over a year due to cataract surgery. He planned to do a few touch and go landings to regain currency before departing on a local flight. The pilot said that upon his first attempt to land, he failed to maintain clearance of a cattle-guard fence that was located at the end of the grass runway. The airplane's main landing gear snagged the cattle-guard causing the nose of the airplane to dive into the ground. The airplane then nosed over inverted and came to rest upside down, resulting in substantial damage to the firewall, both sets of wing struts, the vertical stabilizer, and the rudder. The pilot said there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane and the accident was due to his lack of recent experience and ability to judge the airplane's height above the cattle-guard.
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
- Landing area undershoot during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Recent experience › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 720 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 0 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: March 15, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,531 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7VGO Warrentown VA at 2:00 pm
- Destination: 7VGO Warrentown VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 2,215 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 2:35 pm from HWY, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on February 2, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Record of Conversation - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Inspector Statement (Email) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.