Amateur-built Mini-Max accident near Hodgdon, Maine, August 8, 2009
On August 8, 2009 at about 11:20 pm local time, a amateur-built Mini-Max, registered N569WT, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Hodgdon, Maine (Houlton International Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's mismanagement of the fuel supply, which resulted in fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 2009 · about 11:20 pm local time · cases in 2009
- Place
- Hodgdon, Maine · Houlton International Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Mini-Max
- Registration
- N569WT · no longer on the register · serial 1098
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the experimental amateur-built airplane stated that while in flight the engine lost power. After switching fuel tanks, the pilot attempted a restart, and the engine performed about 25 to 30 revolutions; however, the engine would not restart. While approaching the field selected for a forced landing, he realized the grass was about 5 feet tall. Upon landing, grass wrapped around his "wheel bar" and the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported to law enforcement personnel on scene that he felt he ran out of gas. Inspection of the fuel tanks revealed that the right tank was void of fuel and the left tank was approximately three-fourths full. Additionally, the fuel selector was observed in the right fuel tank position. A small amount of fuel and air were noted in the fuel line leading to the engine, preventing the correct amount of fuel and air to mix, which would allow the engine to restart. No other anomalies were noted during the wreckage examination.
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
- Fuel starvation during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise)
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management other cases naming the fuel system
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 200 hours in all; 57 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 24 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, October 24, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 560 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Zenoah G-50 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HUL Houlton ME at 11:00 pm
- Destination: HUL Houlton ME
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 280° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,500 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from HUL, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on April 27, 2010. 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: Phone Conversation Mr. Tidd (Pilot) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Record of Conversatation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Wreckage and Accident Documentation | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Airplane Maintenance Record [excerpt] | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Houlton Weather | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Reports from State Agencies | PDF, 3 pages | 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
- N569WT: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Engine: Zenoah G-50 · as the NTSB recorded it
- Houlton International · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Maine 532 since 1982 · 70 in the last ten years
- Maine 1,425 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA09LA457.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.