- Date
- November 2, 1991, 13:10 local (18:10 UTC)
- Place
- Jim Thorpe, PA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N5634KMaule M5-235C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 3, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911102048679A
- Case key
- 37105
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
The pilot's improper use of carburetor heat, resulting in carburetor ice and a loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing in trees. A factor related to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in this make and model airplane.
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 airplane was towing a banner, when the engine quit and the pilot made a forced landing in trees. The pilot was unable to restart the engine. He said he did not use carburetor heat. A post accident examination revealed no discrepancies with the engine. The temperature was 62F and the dew point was 52F. According to the FAA chart, these conditions are favorable to the formation of carburetor icing. The pilot had a total of 15 hours in this make and model.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5634K
- Reported as
- Maule M5-235C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7273C
- Airframe hours
- 1,659
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Kutztown Aviation
- Registered owner
- Kutztown Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 1, 1991 · 44 hours before
- Departed
- N31 · Kutztown, PA
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 46
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 9,000 total · 15 in this make and model · 5,000 as pilot in command · 80 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 52 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.