Maule M5-180C accident near Garden Valley, Idaho, December 13, 1992
On December 13, 1992 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Maule M5-180C, registered N5652W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Garden Valley, Idaho (Garden Valley airport). 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
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND PREPARATION. FACTORS INCLUDE THE SNOW COVERED RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 13, 1992 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Garden Valley, Idaho · Garden Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M5-180C · all M5-180Cs 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 PILOT OF THE MAULE M 5 180C LANDED ON A SNOW COVERED RUNWAY AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. HE HAD NOT CHECKED THE AIRPORT RUNWAY CONDITIONS PRIOR TO INITIATING HIS FLIGHT.
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; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 388 hours in all; 309 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 335 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 490 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 5, 1992; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BOI Boise ID at 6:00 pm
- Destination: U88 Garden Valley ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 3,850 ft by 125 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 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.