Maule M-7-235 N525GS

Summary

On 2 May 1994 at about 16:30 local time, a Maule M-7-235 registered N525GS, operated by Sperber, Eugene J., was involved in an accident near McIntosh, South Dakota, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 May 1994 at 16:30

Classification

Accident

Location

McIntosh, South Dakota, United States

Coordinates

45.9205, -101.3495

Aircraft

Maule M-7-235

Registration

N525GS

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Sperber, Eugene J.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Aberdeen → Miles City

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI94FA155

2 people died.

VFR FLIGHT BY THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE (OR CLEARANCE) FROM RISING TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO UPDATE HIS WEATHER INFORMATION AT THE EN ROUTE STOP, THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, RISING TERRAIN, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

AT 1635 CDT ON 5/1/94 & AT 0319 CDT ON 5/2/94, THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT CONTACTED THE GREEN BAY FLIGHT SERVICE STATION (FSS) & GOT WEATHER INFO FOR A FLIGHT FROM GREEN BAY, WI, TO MILES CITY, MT. HE WAS ADVISED THAT VFR CONDITIONS WERE EXPECTED ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT, WITH A POSSIBILITY OF SHOWERS INCREASING AS HE NEARED HIS DESTINATION. AFTER TAKEOFF, HE CONTACTED THE PRINCETON & HURON FSS'S & OBTAINED WINDS & AN ABBREVIATED WEATHER BRIEFING FOR THE ROUTE TO ABERDEEN, SD. AT ABOUT 0800, AN EN ROUTE STOP WAS MADE IN VFR CONDITIONS AT ABERDEEN TO REFUEL. THE PILOT DEPARTED AT ABOUT 0900 WITHOUT UPDATING HIS WEATHER INFO. NEAR MCINTOSH, SD, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING LOW IN POOR WEATHER CONDITIONS (LOW CLOUDS & FOG). SUBSEQUENTLY, IT IMPACTED RISING TERRAIN. ABOUT 10 DAYS LATER, IT WAS LOCATED PARTIALLY SUBMERGED IN A POND. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. AT 0745 ON 5/2/94, AN AIRMET WAS ISSUED TO WARN OF OCCASIONAL LOW CEILINGS & VISIBILITIES WITH PRECIPITATION & FOG FROM TEXAS THROUGH THE DAKOTAS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.