Maule M-5-220C accident near Near Asotin, Washington, February 4, 1983
On February 4, 1983 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Maule M-5-220C, registered N51599, was destroyed in an accident near Near Asotin, Washington. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 4, 1983 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Near Asotin, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-5-220C · all M-5-220Cs on the register
- Registration
- N51599 · no longer on the register · serial 5460133
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE FLYING IN THE VICINITY OF THE SNAKE RIVER, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. EMERGENCY LANDING AREAS WERE LIMITED. THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND ON A ROAD NEAR THE RIVER. WHILE IN A RIGHT TURN TO LINE UP WITH THE ROAD, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A SINGLE POWER LINE, THEN CRASHED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT TE #5 PISTON PIN, PN 17658, HAD FAILED. THE AFT PISTON PIN BOSS HAD FAILED, WHICH PERMITTED THE FREE END OF THE CONNECTING ROD TO DAMAGE THE #5 CYLINDER AND THE CRANKCASE IN THE VICINITY OF THE #5 AND #6 CRANKSHAFT THROWS. TOTAL FLT TIME OF THE ENGINE WAS 699.5 HRS.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all; 650 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 1,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 699 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 22, 1982; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A-350-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BNO Burns OR at 4:00 pm
- Destination: PUW Pullman WA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.