# NTSB ERA09LA457: Tidd Wesley Mini-Max, N569WT, Hodgdon, ME, August 8, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 8, 2009, 19:20 local (23:20 UTC) - Place: Hodgdon, ME - Coordinates: 46.088054, -67.838058 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.0881&lon=-67.8381&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report June 17, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 74500 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA09LA457 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74500/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74500 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09LA457 ## Probable cause The pilot's mismanagement of the fuel supply, which resulted in fuel starvation. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Tidd Wesley MINI-MAX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=056090W), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid management (probable cause); cases with it: [Tidd Wesley MINI-MAX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=056090W), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Tidd Wesley MINI-MAX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=056090W), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Tidd Wesley MINI-MAX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=056090W), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Tidd Wesley MINI-MAX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=056090W), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Tidd Wesley MINI-MAX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=056090W), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the experimental amateur-built airplane stated that while in flight the engine lost power. After switching fuel tanks, the pilot attempted a restart, and the engine performed about 25 to 30 revolutions; however, the engine would not restart. While approaching the field selected for a forced landing, he realized the grass was about 5 feet tall. Upon landing, grass wrapped around his "wheel bar" and the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported to law enforcement personnel on scene that he felt he ran out of gas. Inspection of the fuel tanks revealed that the right tank was void of fuel and the left tank was approximately three-fourths full. Additionally, the fuel selector was observed in the right fuel tank position. A small amount of fuel and air were noted in the fuel line leading to the engine, preventing the correct amount of fuel and air to mix, which would allow the engine to restart. No other anomalies were noted during the wreckage examination. ## Factual narrative On August 8, 2009, about 1920 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Mini-Max, N569WT, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Hodgdon, Maine. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight. The certificated private pilot was seriously injured. The personal flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight departed Houlton International Airport (HUL), Houlton, Maine about 1900 and approximately 4 statute miles from the accident location. Witnesses to the accident reported hearing and visually acquiring the airplane. A period of time after first hearing the airplane, one witness reported to the Maine State Police that the engine began to sputter and then the engine stopped. The witness continued to watch the airplane as it began its approach into a field located behind their residence. According to the witness, she saw the airplane land in the field and then nose over and come to rest on top of the vertical stabilizer as well as the canopy. According to the Main State Police report, the pilot "felt he might had run out of fuel." During a phone interview with an NTSB investigator, the pilot reported that after the engine began to stop, he switched fuel tanks utilizing the tank selector mounted under the dash board. He also pulled the choke and attempted to restart the engine. He thought the engine performed about "25 to 30 revolutions of the propeller," however he was unsuccessful. He proceeded to land in a hayfield, but as he approached the field he realized the grass was about 5 feet tall. Upon touch down the grass "wrapped around the wheel bar" and proceeded to nose the airplane over. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that examined the airplane reported that there was no indication on the wooden propeller of rotation at the time of the accident. The top of the vertical stabilizer was damaged and the right wing aft support was bent approximately 45 degrees from its normal position. The fuel tanks were examined; the left fuel tank was approximately three-fourths full and the right tank was empty. No breach of the right tank was found. The fuel valve, located under the dash, was selected in the right fuel tank position. The plastic hoses from each fuel tank to the engine were connected to their respective fittings and a small amount of fuel and air was located in the hoses. The pilot held a private pilot certificate issued November 23, 1996, with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on October 13, 2005. The pilot had approximately 200 total hours of total flight experience and 57 total hours of flight experience in the accident airplane make and model. A review of the airplane maintenance log revealed that the last conditional inspection recorded was October 24, 2005 and at that time the airplane had 23.6 hours of time in service. The most recententry recorded was on July 15, 2009, which was a wing repair; however, no time in service was recorded. During an interview with the pilot, he stated to the NTSB investigator that he performed the inspections on his airplane he "just did not record them." The airplane was manufactured in 2003 and was issued a special operating certificate on October 24, 2005. The operating certificate required that the airplane be flown within a 25 statute mile radius of HUL. The recorded weather observation at HUL at 1853, included winds from 280 degrees at 4 knots; visibility 10 miles, a broken cloud layer at 8,500 feet above ground level, temperature 20 degrees C, dew point 9 degrees C; altimeter 30.07 inches of mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N569WT](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N569WT-2017-03-24), registration cancelled 2017-03-24, S/N 1098, built 2003 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Tidd Wesley Mini-Max - Registry model: [Tidd Wesley MINI-MAX](https://openairdocs.org/model/tidd-wesley-mini-max) (registry code 056090W) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 1098 - Airframe hours: 24 - Engines: Zenoah G-50 45 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, October 24, 2005 - Departed: HUL, Houlton, ME - Destination: HUL, Houlton, ME - Airport: HUL, Houlton International Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: single; flight hours: 200 total, 57 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 280° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 8,500 ft broken - Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Observed at: HUL, 3 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20090808048159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090808048159A), Aug 8, 2009: Tidd Wesley MINI-MAX, Hodgdon, ME, Substantial damage. N569WT Mini-Max (experimental homebuilt) developed an engine malfunction at an altitude of 1100 feet and made a emergency landing in to a hayfield located at… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 27, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74500. 433 KB in all. - Memorandum For Record: Phone Conversation Mr. Tidd (Pilot) (item 1, .PDF, 30 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40324643&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20For%20Record%3A%20Phone%20Conversation%20Mr.%20Tidd%20(Pilot)-Master.PDF - FAA Record of Conversatation (item 2, .PDF, 22 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40324639&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Record%20of%20Conversatation-Redacted.PDF - FAA Wreckage and Accident Documentation (item 3, .PDF, 212 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40328992&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Wreckage%20and%20Accident%20Documentation-Redacted.PDF - Airplane Maintenance Record [Excerpt] (item 4, .PDF, 66 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40324645&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Airplane%20Maintenance%20Record%20%5BExcerpt%5D-Redacted.PDF - Houlton Weather (item 5, .PDF, 11 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40324641&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Houlton%20Weather-Master.PDF - Reports from State Agencies (item 6, .PDF, 91 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40324642&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20State%20Agencies-Redacted.PDF 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.