Maule M7 accident near Medford, Oregon, October 6, 2018
On October 6, 2018 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 1999 Maule M7, registered N10555, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Medford, Oregon (Rogue Valley Intl - Medford 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 landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 2018 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Medford, Oregon · Rogue Valley Intl - Medford · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M7 235B, built 1999 · all M7s on the register
- Registration
- N10555 · registry record · serial 23055C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll, a wind gust from the left caused the left wing to rise. The airplane veered right, and he added full aileron, rudder, and brake to recover to no avail. The pilot stated he heard a "loud noise," the airplane veered sharply, and it then came to rest on an adjacent taxiway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station at the airport reported that, about 23 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 330° at 10 knots. The airplane landed on runway 32.
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 (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Runway excursion 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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 917 hours in all; 497 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 792 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 4, 2017
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 722.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 22, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-W1A5 (piston); 722 hours total
- Operator: Aeromarine Publishing Corp
The flight
- Departed from: VUO Vancouver WA at 9:25 pm
- Destination: MFR Medord OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 8,800 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from KMFR, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on February 6, 2019. 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 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | 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.