Maule M4 accident near Creston, Iowa, March 16, 1990
On March 16, 1990 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Maule M4, registered N12010, was substantially damaged in an accident near Creston, Iowa (Creston airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
SELECTION OF THE WRONG RUNWAY BY THE PILOT, AND HIS FAILURE TO GO-AROUND WHILE HE HAD SUFFICIENT SPEED AND RUNWAY TO DO SO. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE GUSTY TAILWIND AND WET RUNWAY CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 1990 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Creston, Iowa · Creston · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M4 · all M4s on the register
- Registration
- N12010 · registry record · serial 20
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON RWY 16, BUT RAN OUT OF CONTROL EFFECTIVENESS, SO HE ELECTED TO GO AROUND & LAND ON RWY 4. THE SURFACE WIND WAS FROM 270 DEG AT 17 GUSTING 23 KTS. AFTER TOUCH, HE NOTED THAT HIS SPEED WAS EXCESSIVE. HE APPLIED HEAVY BRAKING, BUT WAS UNABLE TO EFFECTIVELY BRAKE ON THE WET GRASS SURFACE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WENT OFF THE DEPARTURE END & COLLIDED WITH A BOUNDRY FENCE.
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; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,170 hours in all; 440 in this make and model; 71 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 2,922 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MHK Manhattan KS at 6:50 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 4, 1,880 ft by 110 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 17 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from DSM, 45 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 N12010 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.