Maule BEE DEE M-4 accident near Yakima, Washington, August 21, 1982
On August 21, 1982 at about 2:30 am local time, a Maule BEE DEE M-4, registered N4170C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Yakima, Washington (Yakima Air Terminal airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- August 21, 1982 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Yakima, Washington · Yakima Air Terminal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule BEE DEE M-4 BEE DEE M-
- Registration
- N4170C · registry record · serial 11
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT JUST AS HE BECAME AIRBORNE, AN UNCONTROLLABLE LEFT ROLL DEVELOPED. THE LEFT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT CARTWHEELED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AILERON BALANCE AND CONTROL CABLES WERE REVERSED TO THE AILERON HORNS DURING RECENT REBUILDING OF THE AIRCRAFT.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 745 hours in all; 308 in this make and model; 678 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 883 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: YKM Yakima WA at 7:30 pm
- Destination: YKM Yakima WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 7,603 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 180°F (82°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:48 pm from YKM
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.