N7ZFMaule M-7-260 · 2001

According to the pilot, he and a passenger flew in the local area for about an hour before landing at the accident airport. They performed a fly-over of the airport and noted that the windsocks at both ends of the runway were "hanging straight down." The pilot stated that he flew a normal left-hand pattern. As he turned the airplane onto the base leg, he checked to make sure the airplane was configured for landing. On final approach, he looked down the runway and determined that no crosswind correction was needed. The landing flare and touchdown were normal. However, on the landing rollout, the tail veered to the right. The pilot increased power in an attempt to go-around, but the airplane was already turning around, and the right wing was lifting. He reduced the power and attempted corrective flight control input in order to maintain airplane control, but the right main landing gear collapsed and the airplane veered off the runway and came to a stop. The pilot reported that the wind at the airport was light and variable, but gusting to 10 knots. After exiting the airplane, the pilot noted over the next few minutes gusting wind conditions from the north, west, and northwest between 5 and 10 knots. The pilot further stated that he has experience landing in gusty wind conditions, but on the day of the accident the crosswind was variable and unpredictable, with no warning.