20021017030589A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Maule M-7-235 · Wrangell, AK · October 17, 2002

Date: October 17, 2002 · 10:10 local
Place: Wrangell, AK
Airport: Wrangell
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N5662S
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC03LA003
Reported as: Maule M7235
Fatal injuries: 0

N5662SRegistration cancelled Sep 19, 2003 · Maule M-7-235S/N 4025C Airframe modelMaule M-7-235 Engine modelNONENone

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Based on statements made by Mr. Bateham the day after the accident, he took off bound for Wrangell, AK and encountered a fog bank soon after take-off. While in a turn to the left the aircraft hit the water and crashed. Mr. Bateham's foot was caught under the instrument panel after the accident, but he was able to free himself as the aircraft was sinking and swim to the surface. He was picked up by a passing boat. A volunteer search and rescue boat dispatched from Wrangell picked up bateham and transported him to the hospital. Some floating debris was recovered consisting of a fuel tank, insulation material, and a briefcase. (-23 amendment) the aircraft sank in approximately 300 feet of water and no attempt to recover the wreckage is planned.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) BASED ON STATEMENTS MADE BY MR. BATEHAM THE DAY AFTER THE ACCIDENT, HE TOOK OFF BOUND FOR WRANGELL, AK AND ENCOUNTERED A FOG BANK SOON AFTER TAKE-OFF. WHILE IN A TURN TO THE LEFT THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE WATER AND CRASHED. MR. BATEHAM'S FOOT WAS CAUGHT UNDER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AFTER THE ACCIDENT, BUT HE WAS ABLE TO FREE HIMSELF AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS SINKING AND SWIM TO THE SURFACE. HE WAS PICKED UP BY A PASSING BOAT. A VOLUNTEER SEARCH AND RESCUE BOAT DISPATCHED FROM WRANGELL PICKED UP BATEHAM AND TRANSPORTED HIM TO THE HOSPITAL. SOME FLOATING DEBRIS WAS RECOVERED CONSISTING OF A FUEL TANK, INSULATION MATERIAL, AND A BRIEFCASE. (-23 AMENDMENT) THE AIRCRAFT SANK IN APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET OF WATER AND NO ATTEMPT TO RECOVER THE WRECKAGE IS PLANNED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ANC03LA003Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWrangell, AKThe pilot's inadequate weather evaluation, his continued flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and his failure to maintain adequate altitude/clearance from terrain/water, which resulted in a collision with water while maneuvering. Factors…Oct 17, 2002 · Destroyed

Other reports on N5662S · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19970914026589ATakeoff Ground Roll · Louisville, MSVeered off runway as tail came up. Over controlled became airborne into trees and ditch. Trim t handle improper set (-23) during take off from lms, as the tail wheel lifted, the aircraft veered to the left off the runway, then proceeded across the runway…Sep 14, 1997 · Substantial damage