Maule M-4-210C accident near Nuiqsut, Alaska, November 13, 1983
On November 13, 1983 at about 6:00 am local time, a Maule M-4-210C, registered N51418, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nuiqsut, Alaska (Nuiqsut airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 13, 1983 · about 6:00 am local time
- Place
- Nuiqsut, Alaska · Nuiqsut · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-4-210C · all M-4-210Cs on the register
- Registration
- N51418 · no longer on the register · serial 1092C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED DURING THE APPROACH TO LAND AT A FOGGED IN ARPT AT NIGHT. SOMETIME BETWEEN 2045 AND 2100 YST AN ACFT WAS HEARD OVERFLYING THE ARPT AT NUIQSUT. THE VILLAGER WHO HEARD THE ACFT STATED THE NOISE DECREASED AS THOUGH THE ACFT WAS LANDING. HE THEN HEARD A SOUND DESCRIBED AS A PIECE OF METAL ROOFING SLIDING ACROSS GRAVEL. HE THOUGHT THE ACFT HAD LANDED BUT DID NOT SEE ANY LIGHTS ON THE RWY. HE ALSO STATED HE COULD NOT SEE ACROSS THE RWY DUE TO THE FOG. ACCORDING TO THE PASSENGERS WHO FLEW OUTBOUND TO DEADHORSE WITH THIS PLT THE LIGHTS IN THE COCKPIT WERE MARGINAL AND THE PLT USED A FLASHLIGHT SOME OF THE TIME. A COUPLE OF TIMES ACCORDING TO A PASSENGER GOING TO DEADHORSE THE ACFT'DROPPED' WHEN THE PLT LOST SIGHT OF LIGHTS ON THE GROUND. THE PLT WAS ALONE ON THE RETURN TRIP. THE PLT ALSO HAD A HISTORY OF HYPERTENSIONAND WAS TAKING MEDICINE FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,455 hours in all; 265 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 12,425 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 14, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SCC Deadhorse AK at 8:09 pm
- Destination: 10AK Nuiqsut AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 4, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 9°F (-13°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 pm from SCC, 60 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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 never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.