Maule M-5-235C N71AR

Summary

On 23 October 1995 at about 23:42 local time, a Maule M-5-235C registered N71AR was involved in an accident near Alta, Wyoming, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 October 1995 at 23:42

Classification

Accident

Location

Alta, Wyoming, United States

Coordinates

43.7460, -111.0293

Aircraft

Maule M-5-235C

Registration

N71AR

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Aerial Observation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Driggs → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA96FA010

1 person died.

the corrosion, consequent fatigue cracking and ultimate separation of the right wing forward lift strut.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The aircraft was observed entering a level, counter-clockwise turn approximately 200-300 feet above ground. Witnesses reported observing the right wing separate from the aircraft after approximately three-quarters of the turn, and the aircraft was then observed to descend rapidly to the ground and burn upon impact. Examination of the airframe records indicated that the aircraft's original struts were still installed with a total of 4,945 hours of service and no indication of any significant maintenance. On site examination revealed that the right wing forward lift strut had separated completely at a point approximately eight inches above its inboard end (right main landing gear attach point). Metallurgical examination revealed that the lower inside of the strut at the separation surface was corroded and that fatigue cracking progressed from the corroded area through a portion of the top surface of the strut.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.