Maule M7-235B accident near Sunriver, Oregon, June 22, 2019
On June 22, 2019 at about 5:40 pm local time, a 1996 Maule M7-235B, registered N118G, was substantially damaged in an accident during emergency descent near Sunriver, Oregon (Sunriver airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power due to the separation of baffling in both mufflers. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to retract the landing gear on the float-equipped airplane before performing a forced landing to the river.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 22, 2019 · about 5:40 pm local time · cases in 2019
- Place
- Sunriver, Oregon · Sunriver · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M7-235B, built 1996 · all M7-235Bs on the register
- Registration
- N118G · registry record · serial 23025C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and passenger departed on a local flight in the amphibious airplane from a paved runway. The passenger described the airplane's rate of climb after takeoff as "slow" and stated that it was apparent that the airplane would not clear the 50-ft-tall trees ahead. A witness described the airplane as "struggling to gain altitude" and noticed a "definite power loss." The pilot performed a forced landing to a river, where the airplane immediately nosed over and began filling with water. The landing gear was found in the extended position and the water rudders were retracted. The landing gear position indicators were operational and also indicated that the landing gear was extended. The position of the landing gear likely resulted in the airplane nosing over upon impact with the water. Examination of the engine revealed that the muffler baffles had broken at the weld point. The left muffler baffling moved freely inside of the muffler. The right muffler baffling was turned 180° and was obstructing the exhaust outlet. A test run of the engine with the mufflers installed was unsuccessful; however, upon removal of the mufflers, the engine performed with no anomalies. There is no requirement to check the inside of a muffler during annual or 100-hour inspections to ensure that the baffling is intact. It could not be determined as to how long these mufflers had been in this condition. It is likely that the airflow restriction of the separated baffling resulted in a partial loss of engine power and the airplane's subsequent inability to climb after takeoff.
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
- Loss of engine power (partial) during initial climb
- Landing gear not configured during emergency descent defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine exhaust › (general) › Damaged/degraded other cases naming the engine
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Wheel/ski/float › Incorrect use/operation other cases naming the landing gear
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Water › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,080 hours in all; 73 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 8, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all; 155 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: March 15, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 953.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 7, 2018
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-W1A5 (piston); 954 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S21 Sunriver OR at 5:39 pm
- Destination: S21 Sunriver OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 5,461 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 2:35 am from KBDN, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 13 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 – Pre-accident photograph of N118G
Photo 2 – N118G inverted in the Deschutes Rover shortly after the accident
Photo 3 – N118G after recovery from the Deschutes River. Note landing gear is extended
Photo 4 - Google map showing the accident site and its proximity to the departure end of runway 18
Photo 5 - Additional Google chart depicting various runway dimensions and distances to the crash site
Photo 6 – The engine and propeller
Photo 8 – The left and right (top) mufflers
Photo 9 - Looking inside the left muffler
Photo 10 - Boroscoping the left muffler
Photo 11 - Looking inside the right muffler
Photo 12 - Boroscoping the right muffler
Photo 13 - Debris in the right muffler. About 1-12 tablespoons of debris was removed from the muffler, of which about 1/2 tablespoon was comprised of ferromagnetic debris. Machining was noted on most surfaces.
Photo 14 – Left and right muffler bafflingThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
10 documents, released by the NTSB on September 24, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Passenger's Statement | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 2 | Witness' Statements | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 4 | Engine Examination | PDF, 8 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 5 | Maule AFM Supplement 2 | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
| 6 | Letter from Viper Aviation | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 7 | Certification of Party Representative | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
| 8 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 9 | Toxicology Report | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
| 10 | Accident Report Photographs | PDF, 15 pages · our copy | View Download |
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
Aircraft
- N118G on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Maule M-7 275 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Maule 1,345 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-W1A5 31 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
Place
- Sunriver Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Oregon 1,864 since 1982 · 279 in the last ten years
- Oregon 7,012 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR19FA178.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.