Maule M-5-235C accident near Wenatchee, Washington, January 19, 1985
On January 19, 1985 at about 1:00 am local time, a Maule M-5-235C, registered N6176M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wenatchee, Washington. 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 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
- January 19, 1985 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Wenatchee, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-5-235C · all M-5-235Cs on the register
- Registration
- N6176M · no longer on the register · serial 7113C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ONTO A SNOW COVERED GRAIN FIELD. HE STATED HIS ARTIFICAL HORIZON WAS INOPERATIVE & DARKNESS WAS APPROACHING. ALSO, HE SAID HE SAW A NEEDLE FLICKER & HE WAS NOT SURE IF IT WAS A FUEL GAGE OR HIS OIL PRESSURE GAGE. DURING THE LANDING, THE ACFT NOSED OVER IN 10 INCHES OF SNOW.
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
- Flight time: 346 hours in all; 320 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 326 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 805 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: THM Thompson Falls WA at 10:15 pm
- Destination: 3WA1 Issaquah WA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 5:00 pm
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.
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.