Maule M-4-220C N2028U

Summary

On 2 January 2010 at about 01:30 local time, a Maule M-4-220C registered N2028U, operated by Candlerock International Corp, was involved in an accident near Pearsall, Texas, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 January 2010 at 01:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Pearsall, Texas, United States

Coordinates

28.8647, -99.1231

Aircraft

Maule M-4-220C

Registration

N2028U

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Candlerock International Corp

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Austin → Crystal City

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

CEN10CA087

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot’s inadequate preflight planning.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

While on a night cross-country flight the pilot experienced problems with the airplane’s global positioning system (GPS) and elected to land to recharge the battery. Once airborne the pilot again experienced problems with the GPS and received vectors to his destination airport. While in the vicinity of the destination airport, the pilot was unable to activate the airport’s runway lights or to see the airport beacon. The pilot then selected an alternate airport located 45 miles away; however, while en route the airplane’s fuel supply was exhausted and the airplane experienced a complete loss of engine power. During the ensuing forced landing the main landing gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest upright in a ditch. The pilot and passengers were able to exit unassisted. A review of flight planning publications for the destination airport revealed that the rotating beacon was listed as out of service and that a frequency other than the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency was needed to activate the runway lights. In addition, Federal Aviation Regulations require a pilot flying at night to have enough fuel to arrive at the intended destination plus an additional 45 minutes worth of fuel.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.