Maule M-6-235 accident near Elberta, Alabama, October 2, 1983
On October 2, 1983 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Maule M-6-235, registered N5646D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Elberta, Alabama (Miles Neumann airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 2, 1983 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Elberta, Alabama · Miles Neumann · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-6-235 · all M-6-235s on the register
- Registration
- N5646D · no longer on the register · serial 7387C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT TOOK OFF WITH A PASSENGER, WHO WAS ALSO A PLT, BUT WAS NOT PERFORMING AS SUCH ON THIS FLT. AFTER RETURNING TO THE ARPT, THE PLT LANDED ON THE NORTH-SOUTH RWY. HE STATED THAT DURING THE LANDING ROLL, HE ENCOUNTERED A X-WIND THAT CAUSED THE ACFT TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE GRASS STRIP. THERE WAS A PARALLEL STRIP OF SMOOTH GROUND BESIDE THE RWY. THE PLT STATED THAT HE THOUGHT THE GROUND BESIDE THE RWY WAS HARD, PACKED DIRT, SO HE ALLOWED THE ACFT TO CONTINUE OFF THE GRASS AREA. HOWEVER, THE SOIL WAS SOFT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE GEAR DUG IN & THE ACFT NOSED OVER. APRX 18 MI EAST NORTHEAST AT PENSACOLA, FL, THE WIND WAS FROM 140 DEG AT 6 KTS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,822 hours in all; 106 in this make and model; 81 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 1,654 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 229 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 17, 1982; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-W1ASD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HKS Jackson MS at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 pm from PNS, 18 miles away
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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.