- Date
- August 31, 1984, 11:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Bettles, AK
- Injuries
- 5 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N5651DMaule M-6-235
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19840831045529A
- Case key
- 4350
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The acft collided with an overhanging tree branch during a river takeoff. The plt was trying to negotiate a bend in the river while on the 'step' for takeoff. The plt said he had very limited experience in the model acft and it got light on the floats and skipped in the turn quicker than he was 'used to' in other acft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5651D
- Reported as
- Maule M-6-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 747C
- Airframe hours
- 247
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sourdouhg Outfitters
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 28, 1984 · 247 hours before
- Departed
- BTT · Bettles, AK
- Destination
- Walker Lake, AK
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 27
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 228 total · 3 in this make and model · 190 as pilot in command · 67 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 100 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 41 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.