Maule M-7-235 accident near Boulder City, Nevada, February 13, 1999
On February 13, 1999 at about 8:22 pm local time, a Maule M-7-235, registered N747CL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Boulder City, Nevada. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot-in-command to properly position the floatplane landing gear for a water landing and failure to verify the landing gear position resulting in an inadvertent wheels down landing on water.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 13, 1999 · about 8:22 pm local time
- Place
- Boulder City, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-7-235 · all M-7-235s on the register
- Registration
- N747CL · no longer on the register · serial 4132C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft, equipped with amphibious floats, landed on water with the wheels extended and nosed over. The pilot reported that he had recently received training in a land based retractable gear aircraft, which reinforced habits opposite those needed for the floatplane landing on water. He failed to retract the wheels of the floatplane after takeoff from a land airport because of distractions caused by radio problems and complex air traffic control procedures. He said he verified the wheel position before landing in the water but the amber wheels down indicator 'didn't register.'
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,351 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 4,311 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1998
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J1A5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VGT North Las Vegas NV at 7:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from LAS, 15 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.
Other NTSB records under N747CL the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.