History of Flight
On May 28, 2009, at approximately 0845 mountain daylight time, a Maule M-5-210C, registration N315X, departed from Ogden-Hinckley Airport in Ogden, Utah, for a flight to Paradise, California. The pilot, who held an airline transport pilot certificate, was repositioning the airplane to Anchorage, Alaska. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported that the day before the accident, he conducted a thorough preflight inspection, noting about 10 gallons of fuel in each main tank. He then performed an uneventful engine run-up. On the morning of the flight, he added 43 gallons of 100 low lead aviation gasoline to both main and auxiliary tanks, bringing the total fuel capacity to 63 gallons. After taxiing to runway 34, he completed pre-takeoff checks and an uneventful engine run-up.
During takeoff, engine parameters appeared normal. The airplane rotated and continued accelerating during the climb. At about 700 feet above ground level (agl), the pilot initiated a climbing left turn to the west. At approximately 1,100 feet agl, he reduced propeller speed to 2,450 rpm and manifold pressure to 24 inches of mercury. Shortly thereafter, the engine stopped producing power. The propeller continued rotating. The pilot entered a 45-degree left bank, lowered the nose, and trimmed for 80 knots. He applied full forward throttle and propeller control, confirmed the mixture was full rich, and activated the auxiliary fuel pump. Despite troubleshooting efforts, the engine did not restart, and he conducted a forced landing in a grass field northeast of the airport. During the descent, he experienced difficulty maintaining airspeed and descent rate. Just before impact, he retarded the throttle, propeller, and mixture controls to their full aft positions.
Prior to the accident, the pilot had asked the airplane owner whether he had ever used automotive gasoline in the airplane; the owner stated he had not. However, after the accident, the owner told the NTSB investigator-in-charge that he had used automotive gasoline in the past but discontinued that practice in January 2009, and that he had informed the pilot of his prior use.
Pilot Information
The 49-year-old pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with single-engine land and multiengine land ratings, as well as a certified flight instructor certificate. He reported 5,900 total flight hours, with 150 hours in the accident make and model. His principal occupation was pilot. He held a first-class medical certificate issued in February 2009, with a limitation requiring glasses for near vision.
Aircraft Information
The 1975-model Maule M-5-210C is a single-engine, high-wing airplane equipped with a Teledyne Continental Motors IO-360-D fuel-injected engine and a McCauley constant-speed propeller. The airframe had accumulated 1,613 total flight hours since manufacture. The most recent annual inspection was completed on December 4, 2008, 48.5 flight hours before the accident. At that time, the engine had 1,565.5 hours since new and had not undergone a major overhaul, contrary to the manufacturer's recommended overhaul interval of 1,500 hours or 12 years, whichever occurs first. On March 22, 2009, two hours before the accident, the number 5 and 2 pushrod seals were replaced. The last logbook entry on April 27, 2009, documented installation of a four-point inertia reel safety belt system and a super skylight kit, with an estimated tachometer time of 1,614.0 hours.
Meteorological Information
The 0853 MDT METAR from Ogden-Hinckley Airport reported calm winds, clear skies, temperature 19°C, dew point 4°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.13 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact
The airplane sustained crush damage from the engine firewall aft to the cabin and behind the wing trailing edges. The left wing separated at its aft spar attach point and was partially attached at the forward spar. The right wing folded down at its intersection with the wing struts. The propeller separated from the crankshaft flange and came to rest about 10 feet forward of the airplane. The FAA inspector noted that the gascolator was free of debris and contained clear blue fluid consistent with aviation gasoline.
Engine and Fuel Examination
The throttle and propeller control cables were continuous from the cabin to the engine controls. The fuel mixture cable was continuous to the firewall but had separated from the fuel servo at the mixture arm; fracture surfaces showed granular appearance with a 45-degree shear lip. The left magneto separated from its mounting flange but both magnetos produced sparks when tested. Spark plug electrodes showed normal erosion but dark sooty deposits indicating carbon fouling. The fuel manifold valve was disassembled; fuel was present and its screen clear. Traces of fuel were found throughout the engine-driven fuel pump, throttle body, and supply lines. Borescope inspection revealed sooty deposits in cylinders 1, 3, and 5, and oily residue in cylinders 2, 4, and 6. Crankshaft rotation confirmed drive train continuity and thumb compression on all cylinders. The auxiliary fuel pump operated intermittently when electrically tested; disassembly showed the pump section could rotate freely, but the drive motor shaft was seized. Damage precluded confirming the auxiliary pump switch position.
Fuel recovered from a wing tank was tested and found to be predominantly aviation gasoline mixed with a residual quantity of automotive gasoline.
The Maule Airplane Flight Manual and TCM operators manual require a minimum of 100-130 grade aviation gasoline. TCM Service Bulletin M77-3 notes that automotive fuels can cause deposits, detonation, pre-ignition, and vapor lock, which can lead to complete power loss. No Supplemental Type Certificate existed for automotive fuel use in this airplane.