Maule M-7-235B accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, January 3, 2004
On January 3, 2004 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Maule M-7-235B, registered N10430, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. A factor in this accident was the improper use of full flaps.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 3, 2004 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-7-235B · all M-7-235Bs on the register
- Registration
- N10430 · no longer on the register · serial 23051C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that the lake was "glassy" and that he lowered full flaps prior to landing. The right float dug into the water at contact with the lake, the airplane tilted forward and the right wing hit the water, before the airplane came to rest inverted. The pilot stated that there was "no" mechanical failures prior to the accident, and he should "not" have used full flaps on glassy water.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,810 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 206 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 30, 2003; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O540-3AS (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F57 Winterhaven FL at 7:00 pm
- Destination: Fort Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,000 ft by 300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from FLL, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N10430 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.