Maule M-5-235C accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, August 25, 1989
On August 25, 1989 at about 5:25 am local time, a Maule M-5-235C, registered N9114E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT WAS TAXIING TOO FAST TO NEGOTIATE A BEND IN THE RIVER. TREES & THE RIVER BANK WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 1989 · about 5:25 am local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-5-235C · all M-5-235Cs on the register
- Registration
- N9114E · registry record · serial 7101C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD HE WAS STEP TAXIING ON THE CHENA RIVER WHILE PROCEEDING TO A STRAIGHT AREA ON THE RIVER TO TAKE OFF. BEFORE REACHING THE STRAIGHT AREA, THERE WAS A RIGHT BEND IN THE RIVER. ABOUT HALFWAY THRU THE TURN, THE PLT REALIZED THAT EVEN WITH FULL RIGHT RUDDER, THE ACFT WOULD NOT TURN SHARP ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT SEPARATION FROM THE LEFT BANK WHICH HAD OVERHANGING TREES. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT STRUCK 'LAND AND TREES' ON THE LEFT SIDE & WAS DAMAGED.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 320 hours in all; 235 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 243 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,732 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 19, 1989; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,530 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 13,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC89LA149.