Maule M-5-235C N5643V

Summary

On 23 July 1998 at about 13:00 local time, a Maule M-5-235C registered N5643V was involved in an accident near Newburg, Maine, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 July 1998 at 13:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Newburg, Maine, United States

Nearest airport

Millers Field (PVT)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Maule M-5-235C

Registration

N5643V

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD98LA083

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control. Related factors were the long, wet, unmowed grass runway.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the takeoff ground roll on runway 36, the airplane veered off the left side of the runway and collided with trees. Examination of the accident site by an FAA Inspector revealed deep, ground scars similar to the tailwheel on the grass strip in the run-up area. There were ground scars similar to the main landing gear on the wet, tall, unmowed grass strip, for about 800 feet where the airplane accelerated on the runway, then the ground scars veered off to the left in the vicinity of the trees. The pilot said he ruled out any on ground directional correction, '...the wind caused a further drift to the left of 36 and put the aircraft in a direct path to the tree line...it was my intention to climb over the trees. Though the engine sounds indicated no anomalies, it just didn't seem to be delivering normal thrust...I came to the conclusion that clearing the trees would not be an option...I therefore opted for a controlled crash into the trees.' The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction with the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.