Summary
On August 18, 2012, a Maule M-5-210C (N319X) was involved in an incident near Coldfoot, AK. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's delayed decision to turn around while flying through a narrow mountain pass, which resulted in a forced landing and impact with terrain.
The pilot stated that he was attempting to fly through a narrow mountain pass when he realized that the clouds were obscuring the top of the pass. He decided that the pass was too narrow to turn around, so he elected to land the airplane on a gravel access road. During the landing roll the airplane hit a ditch, veered to the left, and impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ANC12CA089. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N319X.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's delayed decision to turn around while flying through a narrow mountain pass, which resulted in a forced landing and impact with terrain.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot stated that he was attempting to fly through a narrow mountain pass when he realized that the clouds were obscuring the top of the pass. He decided that the pass was too narrow to turn around, so he elected to land the airplane on a gravel access road. During the landing roll the airplane hit a ditch, veered to the left, and impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ANC12CA089