- Date
- March 18, 2023, 10:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Santa Ynez, CA · Just off KIZA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N40635Maule M-4-220C
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Fuel starvation
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20230318003179A
- Case key
- 106915
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 fuel planning, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
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.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, while in a climb on the left crosswind leg of the airport traffic pattern, the engine stopped producing power. He made a left turn toward the airport, activated the electric fuel pump, and changed the fuel selector valve position from the left-wing fuel tank to the right-wing fuel tank. Despite the pilot’s attempts, the engine would not restart, and the pilot made a forced landing in a vineyard. The pilot stated that he believes he unported the available fuel in the left tank while in the climbing left-hand turn. The left wing and left elevator were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N40635
- Reported as
- Maule M-4-220C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2153C
- Built
- 1972
- Airframe hours
- 1,721.2
- Engine
- Franklin 6H-350-C1, 220 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Hartmann Peter C
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 7, 2023 · 14 hours before
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- KIZA · Santa Ynez Airport, runway 08/26, 2,800 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B, 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.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 65
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 29, 2023
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 2,031 total · 266 in this make and model · 848 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- KIZA
- METAR
- METAR KIZA 181615Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 10/07 A3005 RMK AO2=
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 23, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.0 MB in all.
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 N40635 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.