Maule M-5-235C N9237E

Summary

On 15 July 2001 at about 23:30 local time, a Maule M-5-235C registered N9237E was involved in an accident near Bettles, Alaska, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 July 2001 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Bettles, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

66.0608, -151.3333

Aircraft

Maule M-5-235C

Registration

N9237E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fairbanks → Fairbanks

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC01FA084

4 people died.

The pilot's inadvertent stall of the airplane during an unknown phase of flight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The certificated commercial pilot, with three passengers aboard, departed on a cross-country personal flight through mountainous terrain, in a float-equipped airplane. The purpose of the flight was to show the three passengers some Alaskan scenery. The route of flight included a stop at a remote lake, frequently visited by the pilot. About 6 hours after departure, an ELT signal was received, and an aerial search was initiated. The wreckage was located in an area of mountainous terrain, and along the airplane's anticipated return flight route, between the remote lake and the airplane's home base airport. A State of Alaska, Fish and Wildlife Protection Officer involved in the search, reported that after locating the wreckage, he landed his wheel-equipped airplane along a ridgeline, located about 1,000 feet above the wreckage site. During the approach for landing, he encountered winds out of the southeast, estimated to be 17 to 20 knots. He added that the location of the accident airplane's wreckage was situated on the downwind side of the mountainous terrain. Postaccident investigation revealed that the nose of the airplane impacted in a near vertical attitude, on the soft, tundra-covered terrain. No mechanical anomalies were noted with the airframe or engine.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.