Maule M-4-210C accident near Houston, Texas, July 10, 1987
On July 10, 1987 at about 9:14 pm local time, a Maule M-4-210C, registered N40684, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houston, Texas (Weiser Air Park airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- July 10, 1987 · about 9:14 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · Weiser Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-4-210C · all M-4-210Cs on the register
- Registration
- N40684 · registry record · serial 1083C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR PLT (CFI) STATED THAT DRG THE PREFLT, HE & THE STUDENT DRAINED ABOUT 1 PINT OF WATER FROM THE LEFT WING TANK & A SMALL AMOUNT FROM THE LOWER ENG SUMP DRAIN. NO WATER WAS FOUND IN THE RGT TANK. THE LEFT TANK WAS SELECTED & A 12 TO 15 MIN ENG RUN-UP WAS MADE BEFORE TAKING OFF. DRG THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENG LOST POWER. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT & MADE AN EMERG LNDG IN A PASTURE. WHILE LNDG, THE ACFT ENCTRD RAPIDLY RISING TERRAIN & THE GEAR COLLAPSED. A POST-ACDNT EXAM REVEALED THERE WAS WATER & RUST IN THE FUEL INJECTOR SERVO, DISTRIBUTOR,LINES/NOZZLES, FUEL PUMP, GASCOLATOR & CONNECTING LINES. AN ESTIMATED 1 PINT OF WATER WAS DRAINED FROM THE FUEL SYS AFTER THE ACDNT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T17 at 9:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,467 ft by 40 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N40684 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.