Maule MT-7-235 accident near Leonardtown, Maryland, March 5, 2008
On March 5, 2008 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Maule MT-7-235, registered N16FE, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Leonardtown, Maryland. 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 inadequate recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 2008 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Leonardtown, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule MT-7-235 · all MT-7-235s on the register
- Registration
- N16FE · no longer on the register · serial 18078C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport certificated pilot reported that he attempted a landing on runway 29, but was too fast, and aborted the landing. He returned for a second attempt, bounced on the main landing gear, and then "bounced it in pretty hard" on all three landing gear. The nose landing gear collapsed, the propeller struck the runway, and the airplane skidded to a stop. The pilot reported that there were no discrepancies with the performance or handling of the airplane. The winds reported 8 miles east of the airport were from 240 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 18 knots.
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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 339 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2007
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ECG Elizabeth City NC at 3:30 pm
- Destination: 2W6 Leonardtown MD
- Flight plan: VFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 11 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.70 inHg
- Observation at 10:52 am from NHK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
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.