Maule M-8-235 accident near Grangeville, Idaho, March 22, 2008
On March 22, 2008 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Maule M-8-235, registered N205MX, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Grangeville, Idaho (Idaho County 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 the landing roll, which resulted in a ground loop/swerve. A contributing factor was the pilot's lack of recent experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 22, 2008 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Grangeville, Idaho · Idaho County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-8-235
- Registration
- N205MX · registry record · serial 15006C
- 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 was landing the tailwheel-equipped airplane on runway 25 with no wind. His first approach was fast, the airplane bounced on touchdown, and he executed a go-around. On his second approach, the airplane drifted left and touched down left of the runway center line and bounced. Upon its second touchdown, the airplane swerved, and although the pilot attempted to regain control, it departed the left side of the runway and encountered a ditch. The pilot stated that "while current [he] did not have enough recent practice and should have refused PIC [pilot-in-command]."
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Recent experience w/ equipment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 212 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S73 Kamiah ID
- Destination: S80 Grangeville ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 5,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N205MX the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.