Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Keene, North Dakota 58847
Wednesday, September 12, 2007 14:30 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane impacted a tree during takeoff from a gravel road. The road was oriented north-south and the piloted attempted to depart to the south. The pilot stated that during the takeoff, as he passed a building on the west side of the road, a "hell of a gust of wind" overpowered the airplane. He was unable to maintain control and the airplane subsequently impacted a tree along the east side of the road. He noted that winds were from the west at approximately 30 knots, with higher gusts. The pilot stated that there were no failures or malfunctions associated with the airplane prior to the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during takeoff due to the high crosswind condition. Contributing factors were the high, gusting crosswind, and the tree.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/12/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1430 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Keene |
| Event State | NORTH DAKOTA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 58847 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 475626N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1025326W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1452 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 285 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ISN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1982 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 31 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| 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) | 25 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 270 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 30 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 35 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.72 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KISN 121952Z 32016G21KT 10SM CLR 25/07 A2972 |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 22453 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 12 2007 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 31 2007 7:09AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | FAA-Fargo FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N40325 |
| NTSB Number | CHI07CA298 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| 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 | 2100C |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2300 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Aug 1 2007 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 2400 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Red River Mud Co Inc |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Williston |
| Aircraft Owner State | ND |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 58801 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Richard Vestal |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Williston |
| Operator State | ND |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 58801 |
| 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) | Business |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | PVT |
| Departure City | Keene |
| Departure State | ND |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1430 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | PVT |
| Destination City | Dunn Center |
| Destination State | ND |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 11 2007 6:37PM |
| User who most recently changed record | DINC |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 180 |
| Runway Length | 1500 |
| Runway Width | 16 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |