Maule M-6-235 accident near El Dorado, Arkansas, March 3, 1990
On March 3, 1990 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Maule M-6-235, registered N644SL, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Dorado, Arkansas (El Dorado 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT GROUND SWERVE. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE CROSSWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 3, 1990 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- El Dorado, Arkansas · El Dorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-6-235 · all M-6-235s on the register
- Registration
- N644SL · registry record · serial 7464C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE LANDING THE TAILWHEEL ACFT IN A RIGHT CROSSWIND, THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON THE ROLL-OUT AND THE AIRCRAFT SPUN AROUND. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED, THE LEFT WING TIP WAS DAMAGED AND THE PROPELLER WAS BENT.
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: 2,750 hours in all; 234 in this make and model; 2,750 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ELD at 9:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 6,599 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 9:58 pm from ELD, 1 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.