ANC03LA119

The commercial certificated pilot reported he was attempting to takeoff from an off-airport site in his tailwheel airplane. He indicated he inadvertently left the fuel selector on a nearly empty fuel tank. Shortly after liftoff, the engine sputtered, and lost all power. The airplane subsequently descended into trees and received structural damage to the wings and lift struts. In his NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report, in the section: Recommendation (How Could This Accident Have Been Prevented?), the pilot wrote, "Land and takeoff with fuel selector set on BOTH tanks."

On September 18, 2003, about 1940 Alaska daylight time, a tailwheel-equipped Maule M-7-235 airplane, N5657A, sustained substantial damage when it collided with trees during an emergency landing following a loss of engine power during takeoff. The off-airport accident site was approximately 6 miles southeast of McGrath, Alaska. The commercial pilot and sole passenger were not injured. The Title 14, CFR Part 91 business flight was operated by the pilot in support of his hunt guide business. The flight operated in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight departed the pilot's main hunting base camp, about 30 miles east of Farewell, Alaska, about 1820, and was returning to that camp when the accident occurred.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on September 19, the pilot's son, an aviation mechanic, related that he had been to the accident site to assist in the recovery of the airplane. He said that his father had related to him that he was attempting to takeoff to the west, and was in the initial climb, when the engine lost all power. The airplane subsequently descended and collided with trees at the end of the takeoff site, sustaining substantial damage to the wings and lift struts. The pilot's son said that there were no preimpact mechanical problems with the airplane, and that his father had told him that he had inadvertently selected a nearly empty fuel tank prior to the takeoff attempt, and the engine "quit" because of fuel starvation.

In the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report submitted by the pilot and dated September 30, 2003, in the section: Recommendation (How Could This Accident Have Been Prevented?), the pilot wrote, "Land and takeoff with the fuel selector set on BOTH tanks."