Tidd Wesley MINI-MAX N569WT
8 August 2009 · Hodgdon, Maine, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 8 August 2009 at about 23:20 local time, a Tidd Wesley MINI-MAX registered N569WT was involved in an accident near Hodgdon, Maine, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 23:20
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Hodgdon, Maine, United States
- Nearest airport
- Houlton International Airport (HUL)
- Coordinates
- 46.0881, -67.8381
- Aircraft
- Tidd Wesley MINI-MAX
- Registration
- N569WT
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Houlton → Houlton
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Dusk
- NTSB number
- ERA09LA457
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot's mismanagement of the fuel supply, which resulted in fuel starvation.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
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.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Oct 2009 | Schweizer 269C-1 | Lewiston, Maine, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 15 Jun 2009 | Cessna U206F | Islesboro, Maine, United States | Waters Aero Marine Inc | Minor injuries | - |
| 23 Jul 2009 | Maule M7 | Turner, Maine, United States | Tamilyn Slowey | Minor injuries | - |
| 30 Apr 2009 | Cessna 172 | Greenville, Maine, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 1 Aug 2009 | Boeing A75N1 | Livermore Falls, Maine, United States | Smith Mark D | No injuries | - |
| 1 Aug 2009 | Eurocopter EC130 | Deer Isle, Maine, United States | Highland Helicopter (Isle of Man) Limited | Minor injuries | - |