Maule M-5-235C accident near Hickman, Kentucky, July 6, 2026
On July 6, 2026 at about 1:00 am local time, a 1977 Maule M-5-235C, registered N9103E, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Hickman, Kentucky (N/A airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain a proper glide path, which resulted in a runway undershoot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 6, 2026 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Hickman, Kentucky · N/A · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-5-235C, built 1977 · all M-5-235Cs on the register
- Registration
- N9103E · registry record · serial 7099C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
At the conclusion of a local flight the pilot was returning to his private grass airstrip. He reported the wind was gusting to about 13 knots, and while on short final approach to land, he felt that the wind died abruptly and the airplane “lost lift.” The airplane descended before contacting a field of soybeans just short of the runway. The airplane then nosed over and came to rest near the approach end of the runway. The pilot was seriously injured and airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical empennage, rudder, and wing struts. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,800 hours in all; 1,600 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: June 29, 2026
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,523 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 18, 2026; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J1A5D (piston); 2,523 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from UCY, 16 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KUCY 060055Z AUTO 14006KT 10SM FEW095 23/23 A2990
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Airplane Inverted on Runway with Trail of Crop Debris
Photograph 2 – Close up of Inverted Airplane Showing Damage to Vertical Fin, Rudder and Wing StrutsThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on August 27, 2026. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigation Photos | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA26LA259.