- Date
- September 29, 1988, 06:25 local (10:25 UTC)
- Place
- Clarksville, VA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N325XMaule M-5-210C
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report June 25, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 11375
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Inflight loss of control as a result of pilot disorientation when the pilot tried to conduct VFR flight into IMC. Low clouds, poor visibility, fog and poor decision are contributing factors.
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
Witnesses reported low clouds, poor visibility, and fog when the acft took off. According to witnesses, the acft circled the airport shortly after takeoff. Witnesses reported the engine sound increased and decreased several times before the acft descended and crashed in a steep nose down attitude. The plt was instrument rated; however there was no flight plan filed for the flight. Records were not available to determine the plt's instrument proficiency. Examination of the acft did not reveal evidence of mechanical malfunction. Post mortem exams did not reveal evidence of physical impairment or incapacitation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N325X
- Reported as
- Maule M-5-210C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 6135C
- Engine
- Continental IO-360-D, 210 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James R. Hutcheson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Destination
- CXE · Chase City, VA
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
- 42
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 2,019 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles