N289X

On September 27, 2008, about 1540 Alaska daylight time, a Maule M-5-210C airplane, N289X, sustained substantial damage when it crashed onto a roadway, following a loss of engine power during takeoff from the Delta Junction Airport, Delta Junction, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal local flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The noncertificated pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on September 27, an Alaska State Trooper, who was at the accident site, said witnesses told him they saw the airplane taxi the length of the runway three times prior to the attempted takeoff. They said during the takeoff/initial climb they heard the engine lose power, and the airplane descended, impacting on a roadway. He said there was structural damage to the wings and fuselage.

During a telephone conversation with the NTSB IIC on September 27, the pilot reiterated what the witnesses had told the State Trooper. He also stated that he thought someone might have tampered with his fuel supply, and that there may be some issues with his pilot's certificate. He said there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident.

An examination of FAA records revealed that the pilot did not hold a valid pilot certificate.

According to an FAA air safety inspector who interviewed the pilot, the pilot said he thought about carburetor ice while taxiing, and that when the engine lost partial power he inadvertently pulled the mixture out, instead of the carburetor heat. After the accident, the FAA inspector recovered about 2 ounces of fuel from the accident airplane's gascolator. The fuel sample was forwarded to the IIC. The fuel was light blue in color, and smelled like aviation fuel. The sample appeared clear, and no impurities, water, or other contaminants, were visible. The sample was tested for the presence of water using water paste, and no water was found. The quantity of fuel collected was insufficient for further testing.

The pilot did not submit an NTSB accident report form as requested by the IIC.