Maule M-4-210C accident near Lime Village, Alaska, September 18, 2025
On September 18, 2025 at about 2:25 am local time, a Maule M-4-210C, registered N4612T, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Lime Village, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A collision with terrain during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 18, 2025 · about 2:25 am local time · cases in 2025
- Place
- Lime Village, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-4-210C · all M-4-210Cs on the register
- Registration
- N4612T · registry record · serial 1001C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses reported a tailwheel-equipped airplane crashed on takeoff from a remote gravel bar. The non-certificated pilot did not report the accident, and the pilot and passengers did not provide statements. The wreckage was not available for examination. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wing lift struts. The pilot did not submit the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report Form 6120.1.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
- Unknown or undetermined during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Effect on operation
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Qualification/certification › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: unkn
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: unkn
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: unkn
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.53 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from ATK, 99 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR PATK 180253Z AUTO 19005KT 10SM CLR 15/06 A2953 RMK AO2 SLP003 T01500061 53007 TSNO $=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on June 22, 2026. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Memorandum for Record | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photograph | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N4612T on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Maule M-4 207 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Maule 1,345 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental IO-360 32 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,932 since 1982 · 823 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,143 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC25LA121.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.