- Date
- April 3, 2026, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Wasilla, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N93MLMaule M-7-235
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class
- Class 3
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20260403003839A
- Case key
- 202873
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Preliminary report
What NTSB knew early in the investigation. It may change in the final report.
On April 3, 2026, at 1300 Alaska daylight time, a Maule M 7 235 airplane, N93ML, was substantially damaged during an accident near Wasilla, Alaska. The pilot and one passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a personal flight under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to the pilot, he taxied to the runway, allowed the engine to warm up, completed a full run up, and cycled the propeller at least five times. He reported that during the takeoff roll, engine power appeared normal. However, shortly after rotation, he experienced a perceived reduction in engine power and believed the engine was no longer producing sufficient power for continued climb performance. The pilot stated that rejecting the takeoff was not an option. In an effort to clear obstacles, he selected one notch of flaps. The airplane subsequently impacted trees approximately 1,500 feet from the beginning of the takeoff roll. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The wreckage was recovered from the accident site, and a detailed post accident examination of the airplane is pending.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N93ML
- Reported as
- Maule M-7-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4114-C
- Built
- 1993
- Airframe hours
- 2,187.7
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Hopman Christopher J
- Registered owner
- Hopman Christopher J
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 25, 2025
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- 6AK9 · Cizek North, runway 04/22, 1,320 × 100 ft, snow
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 36 °F, dew point 14 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- AWS, 5 nm away
- METAR
- PAWS 032056Z AUTO 21003KT 10SM CLR 02/M10 A2992 RMK AO2 SLPNO 6//// T00221100 FZRANO $
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.