Maule M-7-260 accident near Brigham City, Utah, May 6, 2012
On May 6, 2012 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Maule M-7-260, registered N7ZF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Brigham City, Utah (Brigham City 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 failure to maintain directional control while landing with a gusting crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 6, 2012 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Brigham City, Utah · Brigham City Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-7-260 · all M-7-260s on the register
- Registration
- N7ZF · registry record · serial 26012C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, after a 1-hour local flight, he performed a flyover of the airport and noted that the windsocks at both ends of the runway indicated calm wind. The pilot stated that he flew a normal left pattern. As he turned the airplane onto the base leg, he checked to make sure the airplane was configured for landing. On final approach, he looked down the runway and determined that no crosswind correction was needed. The landing flare and touchdown were normal. However, on the landing roll, the tail veered to the right. The pilot increased power in an attempt to go around, but the airplane was already turning around, and the right wing was lifting. He reduced the power and attempted to maintain airplane control, but the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane veered off the runway and came to a stop. After exiting the airplane, the pilot noted over the next few minutes gusting wind conditions from the north, west, and northwest between 5 and 10 knots. The pilot further stated that he has experience landing in gusty wind conditions, but on the day of the accident the crosswind was variable and unpredictable. The airplane sustained damage to the landing gear, wing tip, and aileron.
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 (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- 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
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 816 hours in all; 43 in this make and model
- Last flight review: January 19, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 528 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 17, 2011; 39 hours since
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-V4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BMC Brigham City UT at 8:45 pm
- Destination: BMC Brigham City UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 7,501 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 pm from LGU, 17 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 N7ZF 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.