Maule M-5-210C accident near Calexico, California, January 6, 1989
On January 6, 1989, a Maule M-5-210C, registered N9039E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Calexico, California (Calexico airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A BINDING BRAKE SYSTEM TORQUE PLATE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE BY OTHER MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, AND OPERATION OF THE AIRPLANE WITH A KNOWN EFFICIENCY BY THE PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 6, 1989
- Place
- Calexico, California · Calexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-5-210C · all M-5-210Cs on the register
- Registration
- N9039E · registry record · serial 6194C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE ACFT SUDDENLY VEERED LEFT. HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE ACFT. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT EXITED THE RUNWAY & COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. AN EXAM OF THE LEFT MAIN WHEEL & BRAKE REVEALED THE TORQUE PLATE PIN WAS RUSTED, WHICH RESTRICTED WHEEL MOVEMENT. REPORTEDLY, THE ACFT HAD VEERED ON OTHER RECENT FLTS, BUT NO DISCREPANCY HAD BEEN FOUND.
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
- Flight time: 1,119 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,046 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 346 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 22, 1988; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Mexicali
- Destination: CLX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0, 4,330 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:48 am from IPL, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.