Maule M-5-180C accident near Ontario, Oregon, June 15, 1985
On June 15, 1985, a Maule M-5-180C, registered N5652W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ontario, Oregon (Ontario airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- June 15, 1985
- Place
- Ontario, Oregon · Ontario · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-5-180C · all M-5-180Cs on the register
- Registration
- N5652W · registry record · serial 8033C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT WHEN HE LANDED, THE WIND WAS GUSTING TO 25 KTS. HE STATED THAT WHEN THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN, IT ENCOUNTERED A WHIRLWIND THAT LIFTED THE TAIL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT NOSED OVER & WAS DAMAGED. ACCORDING TO THE 1700 PDT WX OBSERVATION AT ONTARIO, THE WIND WAS FROM 360 DEG AT 10 KTS.
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: 2,209 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 2,209 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 160 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 5, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C1F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U35 Caldwell ID at 11:30 pm
- Destination: ONO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 4,531 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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 N5652W 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.