Maule MX7 accident near Carthage, Tennessee, January 11, 2017
On January 11, 2017 at about 9:40 pm local time, a 1995 Maule MX7, registered N3156K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Carthage, Tennessee. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for gusting tailwind conditions, which resulted in a loss of airplane control during the landing flare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 11, 2017 · about 9:40 pm local time
- Place
- Carthage, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule MX7 160, built 1995 · all MX7s on the register
- Registration
- N3156K · no longer on the register · serial 19036C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was landing on his 1,100 ft-long private grass airstrip. He set up for a landing to the north due to obstacles and the runway's upslope in that direction. A witness reported that the wind was "blowing hard," gusting, and variable at the time of the landing. The witness described the approach as normal until just before touchdown, when the left wing dropped and the right wing rose. The airplane then collided with the ground and came to rest on its nose with structural damage to the left wing and forward fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures before the accident, and the witness reported that the engine sounded normal during the event. Recorded weather information from nearby airports indicated wind from the south; one airport reported gusts of up to 29 knots. The pilot subsequently reported that the accident was the result of wind gusts that he had not anticipated.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 695 hours in all; 478 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 605 as pilot in command; 138 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 25, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,057 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 28, 2016; 325 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2D (piston); 936 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M54 Lebanon TN at 9:18 pm
- Destination: Carthage TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 1,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from MQY, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on April 24, 2018. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | NTSB Record of Telephone Conversation with Pilot | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record - Witness Statement - Smith | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Memorandum for Record - FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | FAA Accident Site Documentation and 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.