Maule M-5-235C accident near Bettles, AK
On July 15, 2001, a Maule M-5-235C (airplane) was involved in an accident near Bettles, AK. 4 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- July 15, 2001
- Place
- Bettles, AK
- Aircraft
- Maule M-5-235C · Airplane
- Injuries
- 4 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 66.061°N, 151.333°W
- NTSB ID
- 20010813X01678
Official records · ANC01FA084
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 15, 2001, at an estimated time of 1530 Alaska daylight time, a float-equipped Maule M-5-235C airplane, N9237E, sustained substantial damage during a collision with mountainous terrain, about 50 miles south of Bettles, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. The certificated commercial pilot, and the three passengers aboard, received fatal injuries. A VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the Fairbanks International Airport Seaplane Base, Fairbanks, Alaska, about 0855, and was en route to Lake Sithylemenkat, located about 135 miles northwest of Fairbanks. During a brief on-scene conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on July 16, the accident pilot's husband related that the purpose of the flight was to show the three passengers aboard some Alaskan scenery. He added that the accident pilot frequently visited Lake Sithylemenkat to hike and pick blueberries. According to personnel at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Flight Service Station (FSS) at Fairbanks, the pilot obtained a weather briefing, and filed a flight plan with an anticipated return time of seven hours later. The accident pilot activated the flight plan at 0859. About 1530, an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal was received by a search and rescue satellite, emanating from an area about 3 miles southeast of Lake Sithylemenkat. About 1600, a State of Alaska, Fish and Wild
Probable cause
The pilot's inadvertent stall of the airplane during an unknown phase of flight.
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Browse: Alaska · Maule aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
