Maule M-5-235C accident near Jay Em, Wyoming, January 1, 2026
On January 1, 2026 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 1983 Maule M-5-235C, registered N56500, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Jay Em, Wyoming. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of directional control and subsequent nose over due to the inadvertent engagement of the right wheel parking brake as a result of cabin floor carpeting migrating between the right brake master cylinder and parking brake locking lever.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 1, 2026 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Jay Em, Wyoming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-5-235C, built 1983 · all M-5-235Cs on the register
- Registration
- N56500 · registry record · serial 7371C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting a personal flight and elected to land on a grass strip located on a friend’s property. Prior to landing, the pilot performed several low passes to assess the landing area. The pilot stated that the approach and touchdown were normal. During the landing rollt, as he applied brakes, the airplane abruptly yawed right and nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, lift struts, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. Postaccident examination of the airplane by the pilot and a mechanic revealed that the right wheel was locked, while the left wheel rotated freely. Further examination by the mechanic revealed that cabin floor carpet had migrated upward and was lodged between the right brake master cylinder and the parking brake locking lever, which resulted in the right wheel parking brake being engaged.
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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Malfunction
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 892 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 892 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 12, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,380 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 30, 2025; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J1A5D (piston); 1,380 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NA Lance Creek WY at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR26LA075.