| Crash location | 27.766667°N, 82.624167°W
Reported location is a long distance from the NTSB's reported nearest city. This often means that the location has a typo, or is incorrect. |
| Nearest city | St Petersburg, FL
27.801300°N, 82.801700°W 11.1 miles away |
| Tail number | N1044M |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 17 May 2007 |
| Aircraft type | Maule MXT-7-180A |
| Additional details: | None |
During landing, the Maule MXT-7-180A skipped, and then touched down on the runway centerline. The pilot reported that "as soon as all three wheels hit the ground," a wind gust pushed the aircraft "all the way over" to the right side of the runway, and he perceived that the "right wing was going to hit the grass," so he aborted the landing. With "about 55 knots" of airspeed, the pilot added "full throttle and rotated." A witness observed the airplane flying at an altitude of approximately 8 to 10 feet off the right side of the runway in a nose high attitude, when it "mushed" back onto the ground. The airplane impacted and was stopped by large concrete blocks associated with a seawall. A postcrash fire immediately ensued. Since the pilot's door was blocked by fire and obstructions, the pilot and passenger exited via the passenger's door. The pilot reported no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane. He also reported approximately 372 hours of total flight experience, 43 hours of which were in make and model.
The pilot's failure to obtain the proper climb rate to clear an obstacle after aborting the landing. Factors in the accident were the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, which prompted the aborted landing, and a wind gust.