Maule MXT-7-180A accident near Trenton, Georgia, July 23, 2002
On July 23, 2002 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Maule MXT-7-180A, registered N10550, was substantially damaged in an accident near Trenton, Georgia (Lookout Mountain Flight Park airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot to clear the engine during a prolonged approach at idle power resulting in the engine hesitating during application of power to arrest the descent for landing touchdown resulting in a hard landing and separation of the left main landing gear wheel. Contributing to the accident was incomplete fusion of the weld joint between the left main landing gear axle and wheel spacer and the lower than normal idle setting of the engine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 2002 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Trenton, Georgia · Lookout Mountain Flight Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule MXT-7-180A · all MXT-7-180As on the register
- Registration
- N10550 · registry record · serial 21060C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he had to clear a ridgeline on his approach path to a 2,000 foot grass strip, necessitating a short field approach that was steep, using idle power. When he rapidly applied power in the flare, the engine hesitated, and the touchdown was firm. The left main wheel fractured at the weld joint between the axle and the hub spacer , causing the wheel to separate, the left landing strut to dig into the sod, and the aircraft to ground loop. The ground loop resulted in a collapsed nose gear strut and a propeller strike. Postcrash examination of the engine revealed metal shavings contamination in the gascolator. Postcrash run of the engine revealed an idle rpm of less than 500 rpm. The normal idle rpm range should be 600 to 800 rpm. The left main wheel/axle was sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory for analysis of the fracture. The examination showed the axle to spacer weld had only achieved about 30 percent fusion of the surface at the end of the axle. The remaining fracture surface was consistent with overstress separation.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 316 hours in all; 225 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 253 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 25, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,201 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 20, 2002; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C4F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RYY Marietta GA at 8:10 pm
- Destination: 0GE3 Trenton GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; a few clouds at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from CHA, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.