Maule M-5-235C N56349

Summary

On 2 April 1995 at about 17:08 local time, a Maule M-5-235C registered N56349 was involved in an accident near Rush City, Minnesota, 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

2 April 1995 at 17:08

Classification

Accident

Location

Rush City, Minnesota, United States

Nearest airport

Rush City Municipal (54Y)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Maule M-5-235C

Registration

N56349

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

St. Paul → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI95FA114

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGMENT IN ATTEMPTING TO LAND IN THE EXISTING WIND CONDITIONS. HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE WAS A FACTOR.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A WITNESS REPORTED THAT SHE OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE AS IT ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. SHE DESCRIBED THE AIRPLANE BOUNCING AND ROLLING, AND THAT IT 'WOBBLED' FROM SIDE TO SIDE, THEN DESCEND ABRUPTLY TOWARD THE GROUND. THE AIRPORT MANAGER ESTIMATED THE WINDS WERE 'FROM THE SOUTHEAST AND GUSTING TO ABOUT THIRTY KNOTS.' EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION. THE PILOT HAD BEEN ISSUED A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE 7 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION THE PILOT LISTED 64.7 TOTAL FLIGHT HOURS. TOXICOLOGICAL TESTS REVEALED 0.021 UG/ML CHLORPHENIRAMINE AND 0.098 UG/ML DIPHENHYDRAMINE IN THE BLOOD SPECIMEN. THERAPEUTIC LEVELS ARE 0.016-0.070 AND 0.100 RESPECTIVELY. CHLORPHENIRAMINE AND DIPHENHYDRAMINE ARE ACTIVE INGREDIENTS IN MANY NONPRESCIPTION COLD AND ALLERGY MEDICATIONS, AND CAN CAUSE DROWSINESS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.