Taunton Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Taunton, Massachusetts 02718
Saturday, June 28, 2003 11:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

As the tail-wheeled equipped airplane touched down, with the commercial pilot at the controls, it began to drift left of centerline. The certified flight instructor (CFI) instructed the commercial pilot to use right aileron to correct the situation, which the commercial pilot responded, "I've got it; I've got it; I've got it." The airplane departed the left side of the runway, and onto the grass. The CFI "stepped firmly" on the right rudder in an effort to straighten the airplane; however, the momentum was still pulling the airplane to the left. Without the CFI's instruction, the commercial pilot added full power, followed immediately by a reduction of power by the CFI. The airplane continued to the left, and the commercial pilot added about one-quarter to one-half power from where the CFI had set it. The airplane then rolled over, and came to rest in a ditch. The commercial pilot added that the accident could have been prevented by "earlier recovery, more experience by pilot and instructor."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing and the CFI's delayed remedial action.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/28/2003
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Taunton
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 02718
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 415227N
Event Location Longitude 0710059W
Event Location Airport Taunton Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TAN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 42
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1052 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID TAN
Elevation of weather observation facility 42
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16582
NTSB Notification Source Lexington FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Jul 14 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1405
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 28 2004 10:11AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Boston, MA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2030U
NTSB Number NYC03LA159
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Maule
Aircraft Model M-4-220C
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 2026C
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 3171
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name James Melville
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Raynham
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02767
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code HYA
Departure City Hyannis
Departure State MA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code TAN
Destination City Taunton
Destination State MA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Sep 3 2004 2:10PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 30
Runway Length 3500
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --