Maule M-4 N40344

Summary

On 20 July 2003 at about 20:45 local time, a Maule M-4 registered N40344 was involved in an accident near Kobuk, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 July 2003 at 20:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Kobuk, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Dahl Creek (DCK)

Coordinates

66.9433, -156.9047

Aircraft

Maule M-4

Registration

N40344

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kobuk → Fairbanks

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC03LA083

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's inadvertent use of diesel fuel in a gasoline engine which resulted in a partial loss of engine power, and subsequent collision with trees during a forced landing after takeoff. A factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the airplane that failed to detect the presence of diesel fuel in the fuel supply.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

Prior to departure on the accident flight, the private certificated pilot fueled the airplane with 14 gallons of fuel from a 55 gallon drum that he stored at his cabin. He conducted a preflight of the airplane, which included draining the airplane's fuel sumps, and found no water in the sumps. After liftoff, the engine power began to decrease slowly. The pilot said the engine did not have any roughness or unusual sounds, but the rpm decreased to about 2,200 and the airplane began to lose altitude. About 200 feet above the ground, the pilot began to turn to the north in an effort to return to the runway, but the airspeed was decreasing. The airplane collided with numerous trees and sustained damage to the wings, lift struts, elevator, and the right main landing gear. Following the accident, the pilot examined the fuel from the airplane. He said he discovered that the fuel he placed in the airplane before departure was diesel fuel. He reported that his storage drum was mislabeled.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.