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20080523836349A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Maule MX-7-235 · Boulder, MT · May 23, 2008

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
May 23, 2008 · 15:21 local
Place
Boulder, MT
Phase of flight
Normal Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N5657Y
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX08LA154
Reported as
Maule MX7235
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
1
Pilot’s flight hours
20,000 total900 in this make and model12 in the last 90 days
N5657YRegistration cancelled Apr 22, 2013 · Maule MX-7-235S/N 10001C · Built 1984Airframe modelMaule MX-7-235Engine modelLycoming IO-540 seriesReciprocating

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) On may 23,2008, at 1521 MDT, a Maule MX-7-235, N5657Y, register privacy data omitted collided with (2) 500K volt powerline interphase spacers tearing off left wing and subsequently coming to rest in trees on the east side of houlder hill, adjacent to interstate 15 (mile marker 171) approximately 20 miles south of helena, Montana, while on a personal trip. The flight originated at bountiful, Utah (btf) at approximately 1229MDT. Departing bft, the pilot activated a VFR flight plan and weather briefing with VFR flight no recommended. Instrument meteriorological conditions prevailed at the site. The aircraft and the pilot, a certificated flight instructor/flight engineer/atp rated pilot was fatally injured. The pilot's wife survived with serious injuries. There is also high probability that the aircraft was operated over maximum gross weight upon departure out of btf, but is unknown if this had an effect on the operational charectaristics of the aircraft at the time of the accident.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON MAY 23,2008, AT 1521 MDT, A MAULE MX-7-235, N5657Y, REGISTER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ COLLIDED WITH (2) 500K VOLT POWERLINE INTERPHASE SPACERS TEARING OFF LEFT WING AND SUBSEQUENTLY COMING TO REST IN TREES ON THE EAST SIDE OF HOULDER HILL, ADJACENT TO INTERSTATE 15 (MILE MARKER 171) APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES SOUTH OF HELENA, MONTANA, WHILE ON A PERSONAL TRIP. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT BOUNTIFUL, UTAH (BTF) AT APPROXIMATELY 1229MDT. DEPARTING BFT, THE PILOT ACTIVATED A VFR FLIGHT PLAN AND WEATHER BRIEFING WITH VFR FLIGHT NO RECOMMENDED. INSTRUMENT METERIOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE SITE. THE AIRCRAFT AND THE PILOT, A CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR/FLIGHT ENGINEER/ATP RATED PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE PILOT'S WIFE SURVIVED WITH SERIOUS INJURIES. THERE IS ALSO HIGH PROBABILITY THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED OVER MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT UPON DEPARTURE OUT OF BTF, BUT IS UNKNOWN IF THIS HAD AN EFFECT ON THE OPERATIONAL CHARECTARISTICS OF THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

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 LAX08LA154Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportBoulder, MTThe pilot's decision to continue flight at low altitude in instrument weather conditions and his failure to maintain clearance from a power line. Contributing to the accident were low cloud and visibility conditions.May 23, 2008 · Substantial damage