Maule MX-7-160 accident near Belcher, Louisiana, May 18, 1996
On May 18, 1996 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Maule MX-7-160, registered N35TX, was substantially damaged in an accident near Belcher, Louisiana (Belcher Air Patch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control in flight. A factor was the gusty wind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 1996 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Belcher, Louisiana · Belcher Air Patch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule MX-7-160 · all MX-7-160s on the register
- Registration
- N35TX · registry record · serial 19020C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was landing at a private airfield on a runway facing the east. The pilot reported he flew the airplane in a 'right hand traffic pattern in order to watch the two windsocks south of the runway and to make sure the tractor that was mowing nearby would remain clear of the runway.' The airplane was on final, with a right cross wind, when the following sequence of events occurred. The pilot stated, 'the aircraft drifted to the north, but I corrected it back, when suddenly a strong gust blew the plane north of the runway. The right wing dropped quickly while we continued to drift left as I added power to execute another go around. The plane continued to drop right wing low, despite my efforts to avoid hitting the ground. The engine accelerated normally, but we struck the ground off to the left of the runway, right wing low.' The airplane came to rest on a heading of approximately 260 degrees on the north side of the runway.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,862 hours in all; 652 in this make and model; 6,002 as pilot in command; 1,446 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 659 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 20, 1995; 317 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Garland AR at 8:50 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 2,700 ft by 180 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.