Maule M-7-235 accident near Ocala, Florida, December 22, 1986
On December 22, 1986 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Maule M-7-235, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N151CD, was destroyed in an accident near Ocala, Florida (Ocala airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 22, 1986 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Ocala, Florida · Ocala
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-7-235, amateur-built · all M-7-235s on the register
- Registration
- N151CD · registry record · serial 4011C
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT DRAGGED A WING DURING LNDG ACCORDING TO THE PLTS STATEMENT. THE ACFT CAME TO REST BESIDE THE RWY. THE PLT SAID HE LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT DUE TO A FUEL IMBALANCE. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE LEFT WING TIP TANK WAS FOUND FULL OF FUEL. ACCORDING TO THE ACFT MANUFACTURER THE ACFT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONTROLLABLE IF FULL FLAPS HAD NOT BEEN SELECTED FOR THE X-WIND LNDG OR IF THE ACFT HAD BEEN LANDED IN ANOTHER DIRECTION TO PUT THE X-WIND ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 915 hours in all; 25 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-W1A5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X51 Homestead FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,007 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 070° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:25 pm from CNV, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 MIA87LA055.