# Accident 20040328006549A: Maule M7260C, Crestin, CA, March 28, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 28, 2004
- Place: Crestin, CA
- Airport: Private
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.5675° N, 120.7917° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.5675&lon=-120.7917&mi=10
- Aircraft: N99KJ, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N99KJ) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Maule M-7-260C (registry code 5470112, https://openairdocs.org/model/maule-m-7-260c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MAULE M7260C
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 5,000 total, 800 in this make and model, 60 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX04LA171](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04LA171) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040328006549A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE LOST POWER DURING TAKE OFF FROM A PRIVATE AIRFIELD NEAR PASO ROBLES, CALIFORNIA. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT THE TAXI AND RUN-UP WERE NORMAL. DURING THE INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB, APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL THE ENGINE SPUTTERED. THE PILOT CHANGED THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM "BOTH" POSITION TO "RIGHT" POSITION AND ADJUSTED THE MIXTURE CONTROL. PARTIAL POWER RETURNED MOMENTARILY: SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND. DURING THE FORCED LANDING, THE RIGHT WING WAS TORN FROM THE FUSELAGE AND THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING BROKE OFF. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE CRASH SITE FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY THE NTSB. THE NTSB INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM CLAMP (PIN) FAILED WHICH ROUTED HOT EXHAUST GASES INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND ONTO THE FUEL SYSTEM CAUSING A FUEL VAPOR LOCK. THE VAPOR LOCK CAUSED THE ENGINE TO EVENTUALLY QUIT RUNNING FOR LACK OF FUEL.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX04LA171](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04LA171), Mar 28, 2004: Maule M-7-260C (N99KJ), Paso Robles, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: fuel system vapor lock due to the failure of the left exhaust stack clamp pin, which caused a separation of the exhaust stack from the muffler and the porting of hot exhaust gases onto the fuel lines.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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