Maule M-5-235C accident near Kelton, Utah, February 6, 2010
On February 6, 2010 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Maule M-5-235C, registered N9227E, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Kelton, Utah (Brigham City 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The non-instrument-rated pilot's decision to take off and fly into marginal weather conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 6, 2010 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Kelton, Utah · Brigham City Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-5-235C · all M-5-235Cs on the register
- Registration
- N9227E · no longer on the register · serial 7137C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private, non-instrument-rated pilot reported departing on a local personal flight. About 45 minutes after departure he encountered reduced visibility and elected to perform an off-field landing on a road. During the landing roll the airplane encountered a snow bank and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, rudder, and left wing during the accident sequence. The closest weather reporting station to the departure airport reported a visibility of 3/4 miles, mist with a few clouds at 400 feet above ground level, and a broken layer at 1,200 feet about the time of departure. The same station reported visibilities of 1/4 mile, fog, with a broken cloud layer of 200 feet, and overcast 700 feet at the time of the accident. The pilot did not obtain a weather briefing prior to departure; he additionally reported no preexisting mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- VFR encounter with IMC during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during enroute (descent)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Low visibility › Decision related to condition
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Qualification/certification › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 561 hours in all; 316 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 562 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 1, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,617 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 21, 2009; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BMC Brigham City UT at 4:15 pm
- Destination: BMC Brigham City UT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 0 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 200 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 5:12 pm from KLGU, 68 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.