Maule M-4-180C accident near Orchards, Washington, March 16, 1986
On March 16, 1986 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Maule M-4-180C, registered N2037U, was destroyed in an accident near Orchards, Washington (Clark County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 1986 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Orchards, Washington · Clark County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-4-180C · all M-4-180Cs on the register
- Registration
- N2037U · registry record · serial 3001C
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY PLACED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO A NON-TANK POSITION. DURING INITIAL CLIMB AT ABOUT 400 M.S.L. A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED. DURING FORCED LANDING THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK TELEPHONE LINES, A PATIO ROOF, AND A PARKED UNOCCUPIED PICKUP TRUCK.
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: 207 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 207 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,571 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0S6 Orchards WA at 11:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 2,800 ft by 85 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:48 pm from PDX, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N2037U the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 SEA86LA078.