Maule M-4-220C accident near Jean, Nevada, January 30, 1999
On January 30, 1999 at about 1:00 am local time, a Maule M-4-220C, registered N474W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jean, Nevada (Jean airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Fuel starvation due to the pilot's failure to ensure that a tank containing an adequate fuel supply was selected for takeoff. A factor in the accident was the contamination in the engine driven fuel pump, which likely was not capable of providing full system pressure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 30, 1999 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Jean, Nevada · Jean · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-4-220C · all M-4-220Cs on the register
- Registration
- N474W · registry record · serial 2027C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he had flown to the airport to purchase fuel but was not successful. Therefore, he planned to fly back to his home base airport. The pilot reported that three of his airplane's four fuel tanks were either empty or contained at most 5 gallons of fuel. The pilot selected the left main fuel tank for use during takeoff, and the airplane climbed between 400 and 500 feet before experiencing a total loss of engine power. Thereafter, the pilot made a forced landing beyond the departure end of the runway and collided with the airport's perimeter fence. While still on scene immediately following the accident, the pilot reported that he had evidently exhausted his airplane's fuel supply. Then, the pilot partially disassembled his airplane and moved it from Nevada to North Carolina. About 2 months later, the pilot indicated to the Safety Board investigator that he desired to clarify the initial information which he had provided. According to the pilot, during the accident flight his airplane had contained between 24 and 26 gallons of fuel, but only an estimated 5 gallons of this quantity was in the left main fuel tank, which was selected during takeoff. Additionally, the engine driven fuel pump was examined in North Carolina and was found contaminated with metal shavings and other debris. The rubber diaphragm had small holes and cuts in that could have reduced the pump's ability to deliver full designed pressure. No record was found in the maintenance records that the pump was ever replaced and it is believed that it is an original production installation on the engine.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,776 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 950 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1998; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A-350 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0L7
- Destination: 3L2 Sandy Valley NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2L, 4,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 am from LAS, 21 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.