What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 5, 2013, about 1005 eastern daylight time, a Maule bee dee M-4, N9807M, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground shortly after takeoff from the pilot's private turf runway near cuttyhunk, Massachusetts. The certificated private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual, and operated under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.
The airplane came to rest against several trees in a nose down, near vertical attitude. Tire tracks similar in dimension as the accident airplane, were located in the grass that boarders the turf runway. The tire tracks led up to a windsock and steel pole that was 1 inch in diameter, which was lying in the grass and the tracks continued a short distance past the windsock. The airplane came to rest about 300 feet from the windsock. Examination of the airplane revealed that the wing fuel tanks were intact and contained an undetermined amount of fuel; however, no water was noted in the fuel sample that was acquired from the tanks. In addition grass, longer in length than the grass on the runway, was located in the tailwheel assembly.
Although no eyewitnesses had been located, several individuals reported that they heard the engine "sputtering" and then the impact. Another "ear"witness reported hearing the engine "running strong," then the engine sound "stopped abruptly," and finally the sound of "rustling" in the trees.
According to fuel records, on may 27, 2013, the airplane was filled with 17.7 gallons of aviation 100LL fuel. According to the fixed base operator, the pilot always requested that the fuel tanks "be topped off" the airplane has been retained for further examination
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 5, 2013, ABOUT 1005 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A MAULE BEE DEE M-4, N9807M, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED THE GROUND SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM THE PILOT'S PRIVATE TURF RUNWAY NEAR CUTTYHUNK, MASSACHUSETTS. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, AND OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT. DAY VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.
THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST AGAINST SEVERAL TREES IN A NOSE DOWN, NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE. TIRE TRACKS SIMILAR IN DIMENSION AS THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE, WERE LOCATED IN THE GRASS THAT BOARDERS THE TURF RUNWAY. THE TIRE TRACKS LED UP TO A WINDSOCK AND STEEL POLE THAT WAS 1 INCH IN DIAMETER, WHICH WAS LYING IN THE GRASS AND THE TRACKS CONTINUED A SHORT DISTANCE PAST THE WINDSOCK. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST ABOUT 300 FEET FROM THE WINDSOCK. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE WING FUEL TANKS WERE INTACT AND CONTAINED AN UNDETERMINED AMOUNT OF FUEL; HOWEVER, NO WATER WAS NOTED IN THE FUEL SAMPLE THAT WAS ACQUIRED FROM THE TANKS. IN ADDITION GRASS, LONGER IN LENGTH THAN THE GRASS ON THE RUNWAY, WAS LOCATED IN THE TAILWHEEL ASSEMBLY.
ALTHOUGH NO EYEWITNESSES HAD BEEN LOCATED, SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS REPORTED THAT THEY HEARD THE ENGINE "SPUTTERING" AND THEN THE IMPACT. ANOTHER "EAR"WITNESS REPORTED HEARING THE ENGINE "RUNNING STRONG," THEN THE ENGINE SOUND "STOPPED ABRUPTLY," AND FINALLY THE SOUND OF "RUSTLING" IN THE TREES.
ACCORDING TO FUEL RECORDS, ON MAY 27, 2013, THE AIRPLANE WAS FILLED WITH 17.7 GALLONS OF AVIATION 100LL FUEL. ACCORDING TO THE FIXED BASE OPERATOR, THE PILOT ALWAYS REQUESTED THAT THE FUEL TANKS "BE TOPPED OFF" THE AIRPLANE HAS BEEN RETAINED FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N9807M · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.