ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 45815
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| Date: | Sunday 15 July 2001 |
| Time: | 15:30 |
| Type: |  Maule M-5-235C Lunar Rocket |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N9237E |
| MSN: | 7141C |
| Total airframe hrs: | 1207 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-540-J1A5D |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Bettles , AK -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Fairbanks International Airport, AK (FAI/PAFA) |
| Fairbanks International Airport, AK (FAI/PAFA) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On July 15, 2001, at an estimated time of 1530 Alaska daylight time, a float-equipped Maule M-5-235C airplane, N9237E, sustained substantial damage during a collision with mountainous terrain, about 50 miles south of Bettles, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. The certificated commercial pilot, and the three passengers aboard, received fatal injuries. A VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the Fairbanks International Airport Seaplane Base, Fairbanks, Alaska, about 0855, and was en route to Lake Sithylemenkat, located about 135 miles northwest of Fairbanks.
The certificated commercial pilot, with three passengers aboard, departed on a cross-country personal flight through mountainous terrain, in a float-equipped airplane. The purpose of the flight was to show the three passengers some Alaskan scenery. The route of flight included a stop at a remote lake, frequently visited by the pilot. About 6 hours after departure, an ELT signal was received, and an aerial search was initiated. The wreckage was located in an area of mountainous terrain, and along the airplane's anticipated return flight route, between the remote lake and the airplane's home base airport. A State of Alaska, Fish and Wildlife Protection Officer involved in the search, reported that after locating the wreckage, he landed his wheel-equipped airplane along a ridgeline, located about 1,000 feet above the wreckage site. During the approach for landing, he encountered winds out of the southeast, estimated to be 17 to 20 knots. He added that the location of the accident airplane's wreckage was situated on the downwind side of the mountainous terrain. Postaccident investigation revealed that the nose of the airplane impacted in a near vertical attitude, on the soft, tundra-covered terrain. No mechanical anomalies were noted with the airframe or engine.
Probable Cause: The pilot's inadvertent stall of the airplane during an unknown phase of flight.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20010813X01678&key=1
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 17 April 1994 | N9237E | Private | 0 | Fairbanks, AK | |
sub |
| 4 April 1999 | N9237E | Nancy Lewis | 0 | Talkeetna, AK | |
sub |
Location
Images:
Photos: NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Oct-2008 00:45 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 10-Dec-2017 11:50 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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