Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Skwentna, Alaska 99667
Friday, March 10, 1995 17:00 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A CROSS-COUNTRY FERRY FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE'S WINDSHIELD BEGAN TO GET SPATTERED WITH OIL AND THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE BEGAN TO DECREASE. THE PILOT SELECTED A FORCED LANDING AREA ON A REMOTE FROZEN LAKE. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT WING STRUCK A TREE, PRODUCING DAMAGE TO THE WING AND FUSELAGE. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE BREATHER TUBE WAS FROZEN OVER. DUE THE REMOTE NATURE OF THE AREA, THE PILOT REPLACED THE ENGINE OIL AND DEPARTED THE LAKE. THE AIRPLANE WAS FLOWN TO THE NEXT AVAILABLE AIRSTRIP AND SECURED. DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE WAS REPORTED TO THE NTSB 12 DAYS LATER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A FROZEN ENGINE BREATHER TUBE WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF OIL AND ENGINE POWER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/10/1995
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City SKWENTNA
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99667
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 323
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 13 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 917
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N88415
NTSB Number ANC95LA037
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model J3
Aircraft Series Identifier J3
Aircraft Serial Number 16139
Certified Max Gross Weight 1220
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 22 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 9598
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOE FANAZOCK
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 131
Aircraft Owner City ANIAK
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99557
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DEAN HEIMERMANN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 312
Operator City ANIAK
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99557
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BGQ
Departure City BIG LAKE
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MCG
Destination City MCGRATH
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --