Maule M-5-235C accident near Lake Havasu Cty, Arizona, April 14, 1996
On April 14, 1996 at about 5:10 am local time, a Maule M-5-235C, registered N9177E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Havasu Cty, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot-owner's inadequate engine maintenance which resulted in a progressive ignition failure. Factors which contributed to the accident were the dark nighttime light condition and the presence of hidden obstructions in the forced landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 14, 1996 · about 5:10 am local time · cases in 1996
- Place
- Lake Havasu Cty, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-5-235C · all M-5-235Cs on the register
- Registration
- N9177E · registry record · serial 7125C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot owned and operated the seaplane and had flown it for 803 hours. During the dark nighttime cruise flight, the engine began surging and then gradually lost power. The pilot planned to make a forced landing at the shoreline of the Colorado River; however, during landing the airplane slid on the grass bank and impacted a 3-foot-high tree trunk. The airplane was subsequently examined, and the following discrepancies were found: (1) Sediment was observed in the fuel filter and carburetor; (2) The number 3 cylinder intake valve was found open and stretched in excess of 0.200 inches; (3) No compression was obtained from the number 3 cylinder; (4) The engine oil was black in color; (5) The magneto's drive end seal bearing was found leaking oil; (6) The left set of points were oil fouled, and the right set of points had oil on the contacts and were coked up; and (7) The left distributor gear was missing a gear tooth.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,085 hours in all; 803 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 8,835 as pilot in command; 18 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 981 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 23, 1995; 165 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J1AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IFP Bullhead AZ at 4:50 am
- Destination: HII
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 170° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N9177E on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Maule M-5 364 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Maule 1,345 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J1AD 5,245 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Laughlin/Bullhead International · departed from
- Lake Havasu City Airport · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Arizona 2,985 since 1982 · 466 in the last ten years
- Arizona 8,435 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX96LA167.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.