Maule M-5-180C accident near Moultrie, Georgia, April 22, 2009
On April 22, 2009 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Maule M-5-180C, registered N66VJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Moultrie, Georgia (Spence Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to carburetor icing as a result of the maintenance technician's failure to detect and correct the condition of the carburetor heat duct.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 2009 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Moultrie, Georgia · Spence Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Maule M-5-180C · all M-5-180Cs on the register
- Registration
- N66VJ · registry record · serial 8077C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was flown from Texas to Georgia, with an intermediate fuel stop in Mississippi. After landing at an airport in Georgia, the pilot/owner realized that his destination was situated on a different airport, located about 6 miles away. The pilot stated that he departed for the other airport, and when the airplane was at an altitude of approximately 1,500 feet above mean sea level, and 2 miles from the second airport, the engine "quit running." Attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful, and the pilot conducted a forced landing to a field, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. Post-accident examination revealed that the airplane had sufficient fuel, and was configured properly for flight. The engine was successfully started and run with no problems. A detailed examination of the engine compartment revealed that the carburetor heat duct, which consisted of a material typically referred to as "scat tubing," was split around most of its circumference. Maintenance records indicated that an annual inspection was completed 4 days prior to the accident. The records indicated that the duct was installed on the airplane at least 8 years prior to the accident, and may have been installed 19 years prior to the accident. A representative of a manufacturer of aircraft scat tubing stated that the company considered the material to have a "shelf life" of 20 years.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing (landing roll)
- Aircraft inspection event during prior to flight
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › (general) › (general) › Failure
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Scheduled/routine inspection › Maintenance personnel
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › (general) › Damaged/degraded
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,014 hours in all; 161 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 1,014 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 20, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,243 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 18, 2009; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C1F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MGR Moultrie GA at 4:50 pm
- Destination: MUL Moultrie GA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 4:40 pm from MGR, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA09LA257.