FAIRBANKS, AK, USA
N9237E
MAULE M5-235C
AFTER LANDING, PILOT APPLIED THE RIGHT RUDDER PEDAL TO ALIGN THE AIRPLANE WITH THE CENTER LINE. WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE HER FOOT FROM THE RUDDER PEDAL THE TOE OF HER BOOT GOT HUNG UP ON THE AILERON CABLE THAT RUNS ALONG SIDE THE ELEVATOR CONTROL TUBE. REALIZING THAT THE PLANE WAS GOING TO GO OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, SHE APPLIED POWER TO GO-AROUND. THE PLANE COLLIDED WITH AN AIRPORT SIGN JUST AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE.
On April 17, 1994, at 1420 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Maule M5-235C airplane, N9237E, collided with an airport sign during a go-around maneuver at the Fairbanks International Airport, Fairbanks, Alaska. The private certificated pilot-in-command, the sole occupant, was not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage to it's right wing. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was conducted for the purpose of practicing stop and go takeoffs and landings. Visual meteorological conditions with light and variable winds out of the north prevailed and there was no flight plan on file for the local flight. The pilot reported that she had been practicing takeoff and landings on runway 1R. On the landing in question, she touched down to the left of the center line and in order to correct she depressed the right rudder pedal. When she initially attempted to remove her foot from the rudder pedal the toe of her boot got hung up on the aileron cable that runs parallel down along side the elevator control tube. This momentarily allowed too much right rudder or brake to be applied further causing the airplane to go to the right. At this moment, she realized that the airplane was going to go off the runway and she applied power to go around. The airplane proceeded off the side of the runway where upon the plane collided with an airport sign just after becoming airborne. She made closed right traffic and landed on runway 1R without further incident and parked the airplane.
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF WHEN HER FOOT INTERFERED AND RESTRICTED THE MOVEMENT OF THE RUDDER CONTROL SYSTEM.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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