Maule M-5-210C N51593

Summary

On 18 November 1995 at about 01:09 local time, a Maule M-5-210C registered N51593 was involved in an accident near Cypress, Texas, 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

18 November 1995 at 01:09

Classification

Accident

Location

Cypress, Texas, United States

Coordinates

30.0009, -95.6697

Aircraft

Maule M-5-210C

Registration

N51593

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

San Antonio → Conroe

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW96FA046

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while flying in instrument meteorological conditions. Factors were the weather, and the failure of the airplane's vacuum pump which rendered the attitude indicator and the directional gyro inoperative.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot received three separate weather briefings of forecasted IFR conditions in the 6 hours prior to his departure. While flying in instrument meteorological conditions en route to Conroe, Texas, the pilot reported to Houston Approach Control that 'I lost my gyros.' No-gyro vectors were given to the pilot by Houston Approach Control in an attempt to align the airplane for an ILS approach to runway 8 at Houston Intercontinental Airport. The pilot lost control of the airplane and it impacted the ground. The weather conditions at David Wayne Hooks Municipal Airport, which is 10 nautical miles north east of the accident site, at 1850 CST were estimated ceiling 500 feet AGL overcast, visibility 1 mile with fog, temperature of 57 degrees, dew point of 56 degrees with, winds at 070 degrees at 6 knots, and an altimeter setting of 30.17 inches. Examination of the vacuum pump input shaft by NTSB metallurgist revealed that the shaft failed as a result of sudden stoppage of the vacuum pump.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.