Maule M-7-235 accident near Louisville, Mississippi, September 14, 1997
On September 14, 1997 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Maule M-7-235, registered N5662S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Louisville, Mississippi (Louisville Winston County airport). It was a business 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 failure of the pilot to assure that the rudder trim was properly set for takeoff and his delay in aborting the takeoff when the airplane yawed to the left during the early portion of the takeoff roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 14, 1997 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Louisville, Mississippi · Louisville Winston County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-7-235 · all M-7-235s on the register
- Registration
- N5662S · registry record · serial 4025C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that during the takeoff roll after the tail was raised, the airplane 'darted' to the left. He applied full right rudder but continued the takeoff. The airplane traveled off the left side of the runway, became airborne momentarily, then the left wing collided with trees 10-12 feet agl. The pilot then attempted to return to the runway but the airplane descended, impacted the runway edge with the left main landing gear which caused the left wheel to separate. The airplane then traveled across the runway off the right side into a 25-foot deep ditch and came to rest. Post crash examination of the cockpit by the pilot revealed that the right rudder trim was disengaged from its normal fully engaged position for takeoff.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,785 hours in all; 118 in this make and model; 111 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 3,304 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 592 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 23, 1997; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-W1A5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LMS at 7:15 pm
- Destination: MS96 Philadelphia MS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,515 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from GTR, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 N5662S 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.