20170520006089A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Maule M-7-235C · Colton, NY · May 20, 2017

Date: May 20, 2017 · 16:22 local
Place: Colton, NY
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N126MC
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA17LA188
Reported as: Maule M-7-235C
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,000 total50 in this make and model17 in the last 90 days

N126MCRegistration cancelled Mar 1, 2021 · Maule M-7-235CS/N 25027C Airframe modelMaule M-7-235C Engine modelLycoming IO-540 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On 5/20/2017, N126MC took off from water on tupper lake en route to potsdam airport. Pilot reported that while in a right bank the aircraft lost power. Pilot reports that aircraft was leveled, fuel selector moved to both position, boost pump turned on and restart was attempted. Aircraft engine failed to restart. Aircraft was force landed in nearby field. Aircraft suffered substantial damage to fuselage, wings, prop, and amphibeous floats on landing. Mechanics assigned to move the aircaft to adirondack regional airport via truck/trailer repoted draining 15 gallons of fuel from left wing and 13 gallons from right. Upon inspection of aircraft, fuel selector was in both position. Fuel line removed from inlet of engine driven fuel pump had fuel in it. Fuel line removed from outlet of pump to throttle body had no signs of fuel in it. Fuel line removed at flow divider had no signs of fuel. Left wing aft fuel vent found completely obstucted.

As the FAA filed it

ON 5/20/2017, N126MC TOOK OFF FROM WATER ON TUPPER LAKE EN ROUTE TO POTSDAM AIRPORT. PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE IN A RIGHT BANK THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER. PILOT REPORTS THAT AIRCRAFT WAS LEVELED, FUEL SELECTOR MOVED TO BOTH POSITION, BOOST PUMP TURNED ON AND RESTART WAS ATTEMPTED. AIRCRAFT ENGINE FAILED TO RESTART. AIRCRAFT WAS FORCE LANDED IN NEARBY FIELD. AIRCRAFT SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO FUSELAGE, WINGS, PROP, AND AMPHIBEOUS FLOATS ON LANDING. MECHANICS ASSIGNED TO MOVE THE AIRCAFT TO ADIRONDACK REGIONAL AIRPORT VIA TRUCK/TRAILER REPOTED DRAINING 15 GALLONS OF FUEL FROM LEFT WING AND 13 GALLONS FROM RIGHT. UPON INSPECTION OF AIRCRAFT, FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN BOTH POSITION. FUEL LINE REMOVED FROM INLET OF ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP HAD FUEL IN IT. FUEL LINE REMOVED FROM OUTLET OF PUMP TO THROTTLE BODY HAD NO SIGNS OF FUEL IN IT. FUEL LINE REMOVED AT FLOW DIVIDER HAD NO SIGNS OF FUEL. LEFT WING AFT FUEL VENT FOUND COMPLETELY OBSTUCTED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA17LA188Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportColton, NYThe pilots' initiation of an uncoordinated right turn with the fuel selector positioned to the right main fuel tank, which had a low quantity of fuel in it and resulted in a total loss of engine power due to the unporting of the fuel and subsequent fuel…May 20, 2017 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N126MC · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19990529046049ABennington, VT(-23) See attached narrativeMay 29, 1999 · No damage