Maule M-7 N4262D

Summary

On 1 January 2005 at about 18:00 local time, a Maule M-7 registered N4262D was involved in an accident near Chickaloon, Alaska, United States. 4 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured, 2 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

1 January 2005 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Chickaloon, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

62.0000, -146.7500

Aircraft

Maule M-7

Registration

N4262D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Anderson Lake → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC05LA021

2 people were seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance during cruise flight, which resulted in an in-flight collision with power lines, and an uncontrolled descent and collision with terrain. A factor associated with the accident was the power lines.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in VFR conditions. A witness reported seeing the airplane flying low over a highway when it struck power lines that crossed the highway. The accident site is located in a gently rolling, wide mountain valley, and the power lines were about 30 feet above the highway. The cables did not break immediately, and the airplane pulled the cables free from the poles on both sides of the highway, and snapped the top six feet and cross arm off one pole, carrying the cables and debris about 100 yards to the airplane's final resting place. An examination revealed all the major airframe components and flight controls were present, and flight-control continuity was established. One propeller blade had extensive leading edge gouging, chord-wise scratches, and torsional twisting and bending. An examination of the engine revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies. The pilot and front seat passenger, who were both seriously injured, said they had no recollection of the accident. The pilot did not indicate in his written report to the NTSB that there was any preimpact mechanical problems with the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.