Maule M-5-235C N5629J

Summary

On 27 November 1994 at about 19:15 local time, a Maule M-5-235C registered N5629J was involved in an accident near Springville, California, United States. 3 people were on board and 2 died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 November 1994 at 19:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Springville, California, United States

Coordinates

36.1693, -118.7000

Aircraft

Maule M-5-235C

Registration

N5629J

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kern Valley → Mammoth Lakes

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX95FA046

2 people died.

the pilot's entry into a box canyon at an altitude insufficient to maintain clearance from the surrounding terrain and obstacles. Factors in the accident were the high density altitude condition and the steep, rapidly rising nature of the mountainous terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While on a personal sightseeing flight in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the aircraft collided with trees at the 8,300-foot level in a box canyon. The floor of the canyon rises steeply from the entrance; about 3,000 feet in 3 miles. The surrounding ridge tops which form the box rise to elevations in excess of 11,000 feet msl. Based on witness and NWS observations along the route of flight, light wind conditions prevailed in and around the accident site with no documented unusual meteorological phenomena. A passenger took videotapes of the accident flight and two previous flights. The parts of the tape with the prior flights showed the aircraft flying extremely low in and out of mountain valleys, along the desert floor, and at wave top level along the beach. The parts of the tape with the accident flight showed the aircraft low flying along the desert floor in a canyon, then buzzing a lake. The remainder of the tape showed the aircraft flying up the river valley which leads to the accident site until it abruptly stops at a damaged portion of the tape. The pilot said he flew up the river valley about 1,800 to 2,000 feet above the river [6,000 to 7,000 feet msl], then turned right at a fork in the river which leads up to the accident site canyon. He said he was at 12,000 feet msl when he turned and was over the surrounding ridges. Nearing the accident site area, the aircraft was suddenly rolled and yawed to the right by very strong turbulence. The pilot said he had the impression that the aircraft was being pushed forward and down towards the ground by some strong force. The aircraft was descending and the pilot said he managed to recover the aircraft to level flight just before colliding with trees.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.