Maule M-7-235 N5661J

Summary

On 7 July 2005 at about 19:00 local time, a Maule M-7-235 registered N5661J, operated by Glacier Air Adventures, was involved in an accident near Seward, Alaska, United States. 5 people were on board and one died, 4 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

7 July 2005 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Seward, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

60.0072, -148.7678

Aircraft

Maule M-7-235

Registration

N5661J

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Glacier Air Adventures

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Seward → Seward

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC05FA098

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain minimum airspeed during final approach, which resulted in an inadvertent stall, and impact with the surface of the lake.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial certificated pilot/lodge operator was conducting a day 14 CFR Part 91 flight to a glacier fed coastal lake in a float-equipped, single-engine airplane. The pilot reported that the approach to the lake was routine, until about 25-50 feet above the surface of the lake, the airplane "quit flying," and descended rapidly in a level attitude, impacting the lake. During the impact, the floats spread apart and collapsed. The wings lay on top of the floats, and except for the cabin top, the fuselage was submerged. The pilot and the four passengers exited to the top of the fuselage and wings. The glacier fed lake was populated with icebergs, and the survivors were forced to abandon the sinking airplane, and swim to a nearby iceberg. A passenger, who had not previously donned his personal flotation device, and left it in the airplane, drown. The surviving passengers were rescued by search personnel several hours after the accident. The pilot reported that prior to the accident, there were no known mechanical anomalies with the airplane, and the engine was running normally.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.