Maule M-7-235B accident near Boca Grande, Florida, April 3, 1999
On April 3, 1999 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Maule M-7-235B, registered N10430, was substantially damaged in an accident near Boca Grande, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots failure to maintain a visual lookout on landing resulting in an in-flight collision with a wave.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 1999 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Boca Grande, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- 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 he was making a landing to smooth water. The left float collided with a wave. The airplane rotated to the left about 30 degrees, and the right wing tip collided with the 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,845 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 1,381 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 135 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 25, 1999; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J3A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N/A Captiva Island FL at 4:50 pm
- Destination: N/A
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from SRQ
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 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.