- Date
- December 16, 1995, 18:00 local (Dec 17, 1995, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Hot Springs, SD
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N12010Maule M-4
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report April 1, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19951216040749A
- Case key
- 10171
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
an unauthorized modification of the air induction system by the pilot.
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 said that in an attempt to increase the amount of cabin heat, he closed off the two air inlets to the engine with cardboard. One air inlet allows cooling air to enter the cowling, the second air inlet supplies air to the carburetor. After takeoff, the pilot reported the airplane would not climb, and a forced landing was made.
Factual narrative
On December 16, 1995, at 1800 mountain standard time (mst), a Maule M-4, N12010, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged, when it collided with terrain, following a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot reported minor injuries, the two passengers were uninjured. The flight departed from Hot Springs, South Dakota, en route to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, exact time unknown.
During a telephone interview with the pilot on December 18, 1995 the pilot explained the reason for the loss of power. He said that in an attempt to increase the amount of cabin heat, he closed off the two air inlets to the engine with cardboard. One air inlet allows cooling air to enter the cowling, the second air inlet supplies air to the carburetor. The pilot reported that after takeoff the airplane would not climb.
The airplane's propeller, firewall and fuselage longerons were bent, and the main landing gear was knocked off during the forced landing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N12010
- Reported as
- Maule M-4
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20
- Engine
- Continental O-300, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert G. Mines
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- HSR
- Destination
- FSD · Sioux Falls, SD
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
- 51
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,000 total · 60 in this make and model · 4,000 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 100° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 37 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RAP, 45 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.
Other investigations on N12010 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.