Maule MX7 accident near Willows, California, September 11, 2010
On September 11, 2010 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Maule MX7, registered N6138Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Willows, California (Willows-Glenn County 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 inadequate compensation for the gusty crosswind condition and his failure to maintain directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 2010 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Willows, California · Willows-Glenn County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule MX7 180 · all MX7s on the register
- Registration
- N6138Y · no longer on the register · serial 11061C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that a gust of wind blew the airplane to the left of the runway as he was landing. He tried to abort the landing; however, the airplane barely lifted off the ground. The airplane continued to the left off of the runway and landed hard about 100 feet from the runway and ground looped. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector examined the airplane; he established flight control continuity from the cockpit to the rudder and elevators. The rudder pedals operated smoothly with no restrictions. The main landing gear wheels and tail wheel were also inspected with no mechanical abnormalities noted.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,481 hours in all; 484 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: August 7, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,354 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 12, 2010; 15 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C1F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GOO Grass Valley NV at 3:45 pm
- Destination: WLW Willows CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 4,125 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from CIC, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N6138Y 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.