Chuathbaluk Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Aniak, Alaska 99557
Sunday, October 7, 2007 20:47 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The commercial pilot flew 10 miles east to another airport for night currency training. He said he was doing touch and go landings, and while flying on the downwind leg, the airplane's engine lost power. The pilot reported that he was unable to reach the runway, and that the airplane landed in trees. He said the airplane was fueled prior to the departure, and that he switched fuel tanks after the engine lost power. The pilot said the airplane sustained damage to the wings and fuselage when it collided with trees. He reported that a more thorough preflight of the fuel tanks, and to verify which tank the engine was operating on, may have prevented the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper fuel tank selection and fuel starvation, while doing touch-and-go landings.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/7/2007
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2047
Event Time Zone --
Event City Aniak
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99557
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude 613444N
Event Location Longitude 1591256W
Event Location Airport Chuathbaluk
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 9A3
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 242
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height 2600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 0
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.72
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 23518
NTSB Notification Source FAA Anchorage, ROC
NTSB Notification Date Oct 8 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 30 2008 1:28PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Anchorage FSDO-03

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N62029
NTSB Number ANC08LA003
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Maule
Aircraft Model M-5-220C
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 5054C
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2071
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Steven R. Brueckner
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Aniak
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99557
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Chad Smith
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Talkeetna
Operator State AK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 99676
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PANI
Departure City Aniak
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 2015
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - VFR pattern - downwind
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 18 2008 3:45PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 09
Runway Length 3400
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --