# NTSB ANC08LA003: Maule M-5-220C, N62029, Aniak, AK, October 8, 2007

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: October 7, 2007, 20:47 local (Oct 8, 2007, 04:47 UTC)
- Place: Aniak, AK
- Coordinates: 61.578887, -159.21556
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.5789&lon=-159.2156&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 30, 2008
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- Parties: Anchorage FSDO-03
- NTSB case key (mKey): 66869
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC08LA003
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/66869/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC08LA003

## Probable cause

The pilot's improper fuel tank selection and fuel starvation, while doing touch-and-go landings.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of engine power, approach - vfr pattern - downwind
  - fluid,fuel - starvation (cause)
  - fuel tank selector position - improper, pilot in command (cause)
- Forced landing, descent - emergency
- In flight collision with object, emergency descent/landing
  - object - tree(s)

## Analysis

The commercial pilot flew 10 miles east to another airport for night currency training. He said he was doing touch and go landings, and while flying on the downwind leg, the airplane's engine lost power. The pilot reported that he was unable to reach the runway, and that the airplane landed in trees. He said the airplane was fueled prior to the departure, and that he switched fuel tanks after the engine lost power. The pilot said the airplane sustained damage to the wings and fuselage when it collided with trees. He reported that a more thorough preflight of the fuel tanks, and to verify which tank the engine was operating on, may have prevented the accident.

## Factual narrative

On October 7, 2007, about 2047 Alaska daylight time, a Maule M-5-220C airplane, N62029, sustained substantial damage during an off-airport emergency landing, about 10 miles east of the Aniak Airport, Aniak, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) local night currency flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The commercial certificated pilot and pilot-rated passenger were not injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed Aniak about 2015.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on October 8, the pilot stated he departed the Aniak Airport, and flew 10 miles east to the Chuathbaluk airstrip for night currency training. He said he was doing touch and go landings at Chuathbaluk, and while flying on the downwind leg, the airplane's engine quit. The pilot reported he was unable to reach the runway, and that the airplane landed in trees on the tundra. He said the airplane was fueled prior to the departure, and that he switched fuel tanks after the engine quit. The pilot said the airplane sustained damage to the wings and fuselage when it collided with trees.

In a written statement to the NTSB dated October 15, the pilot wrote that a more thorough preflight of the fuel tanks to verify which tank the engine was operating on may have prevented the accident.

The airplane was not examined by the NTSB.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N62029](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N62029-2017-05-22), registration cancelled 2017-05-22, S/N 5054C, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Maule M-5-220C
- Registry model: [Maule M-5-220C](https://openairdocs.org/model/maule-m-5-220c) (registry code 5460133) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Franklin 6V 350 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/franklin-6v-350-series) (registry code 27043, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 5054C
- Airframe hours: 2071
- Engines: Franklin 6A-360-C1R 220 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Chad Smith
- Registered owner: Steven R. Brueckner
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, March 1, 2007
- Departed: PANI, Aniak, AK
- Airport: 9A3, Chuathbaluk, runway 09, 3,400 × 60 ft, gravel

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 34; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 1, 2007; seat: left; flight hours: 2,006 total, 8 in this make and model, 1,902 as pilot in command, 236 in the last 90 days, 108 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night
- Wind: variable at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 2,600 ft broken
- Temperature: 32 °F
- Altimeter: 29.71 inHg

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20071007824679A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20071007824679A), Oct 7, 2007: Maule M5220C, Chuathbaluk, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot is out of town. Still trying to contact owner. Will update when information becomes available.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.