Maule M-4-220C accident near Pendleton, Oregon, June 24, 2025
On June 24, 2025 at about 8:40 pm local time, a 1970 Maule M-4-220C, registered N2051U, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Pendleton, Oregon (Eastern Oregon Regional At Pen 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
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing, in gusting crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 2025 · about 8:40 pm local time · cases in 2025
- Place
- Pendleton, Oregon · Eastern Oregon Regional At Pen · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-4-220C, built 1970 · all M-4-220Cs on the register
- Registration
- N2051U · registry record · serial 2046C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during the landing flare, the airplane experienced a wind gust and dropped to the runway. The airplane bounced, then subsequently bounded two more times before settling on the runway. During the landing roll, a wind gust from the right pushed the airplane to the left. The pilot applied aileron and rudder correction, however, the airplane continued toward the left and subsequently exited the runway. During the runway excursion, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing the airplane on runway 26 with the wind from 200° at 6 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
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 269 hours in all; 67.5 in this make and model; 7.8 in the last 90 days; 2.4 in the last 30 days; 214.7 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 29, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,280.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 14, 2025; 35.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6H-350-C1 (piston); 3,316 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4S2 Hood River OR at 7:29 pm
- Destination: 68D Enterprise OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 6,301 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KPDT
Weather report (METAR): METAR KPDT 242153Z 13003KT 10SM CLR 34/01 A2988
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on August 21, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 20 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N2051U on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Maule M-4 207 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Maule 1,345 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Franklin 6H-350-C1 768 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Eastern Oregon Regional AT Pendleton · nearest airport
- Ken Jernstedt Airfield · departed from
- Reds Horse Ranch Usfs Airport · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Oregon 1,864 since 1982 · 279 in the last ten years
- Oregon 7,002 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR25LA196.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.