Maule MX7 accident near Nantucket, Massachusetts, October 21, 2019
On October 21, 2019 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 1998 Maule MX7, registered N1052T, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Nantucket, Massachusetts (Muskeget Island 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 on a grass runway in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in impact with a large bush.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 2019 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Nantucket, Massachusetts · Muskeget Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule MX7 180A, built 1998 · all MX7s on the register
- Registration
- N1052T · registry record · serial 20054C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he performed three low passes and briefly touched down on the 750-ft-long grass runway to test the surface before conducting a full-stop landing. The pilot stated that, while landing to the northeast, the airplane bounced and veered right, and he attempted to correct using left rudder. During the landing roll, he heard a noise that sounded like branches brushing against the right side of the airplane and decided to go around by applying full power and retracting the flaps. Concerned that the airplane would not clear the large bush at the end of the runway, he reduced the power to idle and used left rudder to steer the airplane left of the bushes. The airplane impacted the bushes, and the left main landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wing lift struts and the elevator. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery 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
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Soft surface › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,790 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 1,547 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 14, 2018
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,308.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 9, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C4F (piston); 2,308 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ACK Nantucket MA at 6:10 pm
- Destination: MA55 Muskeget Island MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway NE, 1,100 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 20 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; a few clouds at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KACK, 12 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
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.
Other NTSB records under N1052T the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 GAA20CA041.