Maule M-5-210C accident near Linville, Virginia, April 23, 2006
On April 23, 2006 at about 4:40 pm local time, a Maule M-5-210C, registered N62015, was substantially damaged in an accident near Linville, Virginia (Private Airstrip airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's improper decision to depart with a tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 2006 · about 4:40 pm local time
- Place
- Linville, Virginia · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-5-210C · all M-5-210Cs on the register
- Registration
- N62015 · registry record · serial 6059C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot did not note any abnormalities with the airplane during the preflight inspection, taxi, or run-up. The pilot preferred to depart to the northeast because there were obstructions located at the southwest end of the 900-foot long, grass runway, even with a tailwind. He would typically set the flaps to 10 degrees during the takeoff roll; however during the accident takeoff, he forgot to set the flaps. The downwind takeoff roll extended beyond the normal liftoff point, and about 650 feet down the runway, and about 40 mph indicated airspeed, the pilot aborted the takeoff. The airplane subsequently overran the runway and impacted trees. Following the accident, the pilot reported that the tailwind may have been stronger than he anticipated.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,400 hours in all; 438 in this make and model; 162 in the last 90 days; 73 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Linville VA
- Destination: WV62 Davis WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 900 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.