On April 27, 1989, a Maule M-5 (registration N20BS) operated by Selix, Leroy was involved in an aviation accident near Ainsworth, NE. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's decision to fly into known adverse weather conditions under visual flight rules, which resulted in a loss of control due to instrument meteorological conditions. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot departed into known bad weather under VFR rules, encountered instrument conditions, and lost control of the aircraft, resulting in a nose-low impact with the ground near the departure airport.
What happened
The pilot initiated takeoff operations despite being aware of adverse weather conditions at the time. Although the flight was filed under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), the atmospheric conditions quickly deteriorated beyond visual capabilities, causing the aircraft to enter Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC).
Shortly after entering these conditions, the pilot was unable to maintain control of the aircraft. The loss of control resulted in the aircraft impacting the ground in an extreme nose-low attitude within an open field located near the departure airport.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to this accident was the pilot's decision to operate under VFR into known adverse weather, which led to spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of control. The failure to maintain aircraft control while in instrument conditions directly resulted in the fatal crash.
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to fly into known adverse weather conditions under visual flight rules, which resulted in a loss of control due to instrument meteorological conditions.