Probable cause
The pilot's failure to achieve a normal touchdown location and loss of directional control during landing roll out. Contributing to the accident were the runway's soft surface and short length.
NTSB analysis
The pilot overflew the 1,190-foot-long dirt airstrip and it appeared safe for landing. The wind was light and variable as he made a stabilized approach. The airplane touched down long, bounced, and was firmly on the ground by midfield. When the pilot applied brakes in the sand runway, the wheels locked, the airplane skidded, and the pilot lost directional control. Approaching the runway's end, the airplane veered off its left side, went down an incline and nosed down. The pilot had relied upon a non-government publication in his preflight planning that appeared to indicate the airstrip was open for public use. The Federal Aviation Administration's aeronautical chart, while not depicting the (uncharted) airstrip's location, did show that the area was within the boundary of National Park Service-administered land, and that landing without authorization was prohibited.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for LAX08LA135 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- May 9, 2008
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Oljato, Utah
- Nearest airport
- Zahn'S Camp (NONE)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Maule M-5-235C
- N-number
- N9030E
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.