- Date
- December 11, 1990, 14:20 local (20:20 UTC)
- Place
- Romeoville, IL
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N40614Maule M-4-220C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 12, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19901211053849A
- Case key
- 14821
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection resulting in power loss from fuel contamination. A factor in the accident was the owner's failure to accomplish airworthiness directive 84-9-7 which provided direct, convenient access to sample and purge the main fuel tanks.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot stated he drained 8 vials of water from the low-point fuel drains on the fuselage before fuel ran clear. The engine runup showed some roughness, so the pilot continued the runup until the engine ran smoothly. The engine lost power shortly after climbout and a sustained turn. Examination of the fuel system showed water contamination throughout. The airplane had not been retrofitted with quick drain valves in place of the original 1/8-inch npt sump plugs on the left and right main fuel tanks, as mandated in airworthiness directive 84-9-7. The pilot is the airplane owner and is an airframe-and-powerplant mechanic.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N40614
- Reported as
- Maule M-4-220C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2138C
- Airframe hours
- 7,786
- Engine
- Franklin GA-350-C1, 220 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Matrinek, Dennis P
- Registered owner
- Dennis F. Martinek
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 2, 1990 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- LOT
- Destination
- MDW
- Flight plan
- VFR
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.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,686 total · 122 in this make and model · 3,967 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 4.6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.81 inHg
- Observed at
- DPA, 175 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.