Lake Hood Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Anchorage, Alaska 99517
Friday, August 18, 1989 19:13 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT RPRTD THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENG BGN TO LOSE PWR. HE WAS UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE SEAPLANE BASE OR FINDANOTHER SUITABLE LNDG SITE. WHEN HE ATMTD TO LND ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET, THE ACFT HIT A TREE, THEN CRASHED, HITTING APOSTBOX & FENCE. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES THAT WOULD HAVE PRECLUDED NML FLT. THE CARBURETORWAS DISASSEMBLED & WAS FOUND TO CONTAIN MORE THAN 1/4 INCH OF WATER. THE PLT STATED THAT HE HAD EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSSOF POWER APRX 2 WEEKS EARLIER, BUT MADE A SUCCESSFUL FORCED LANDING. HE DRAINED A LARGE QUANTITY OF WATER FROM THE RIGHTFUEL TANK (AS BEST HE COULD), BUT DECIDED TO OPERATE THE ACFT BY JUST USING THE LEFT FUEL TANK. HE SAID THAT HE USED THELEFT TANK FOR TAKEOFF ON THE ACDNT FLT, BUT AFTER THE OCCURRENCE, HE WAS CONCERNED THAT WATER FROM THE RIGHT TANK MAYHAVE CONTAMINATED THE REST OF THE FUEL SYSTEM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

OPERATION WITH A KNOWN DEFICIENCY IN THE AIRCRAFT AND WATER CONTAMINATION OF THE FUEL DUE TO INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING AND TREE(S).

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/18/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1913
Event Time Zone --
Event City ANCHORAGE
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99517
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LAKE HOOD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LHD
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 71
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1915 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 110
Weather Observation Facility ID ANC
Elevation of weather observation facility 150
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 9000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1121
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 18 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1915
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39273
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:56PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5417H
NTSB Number ANC89FA143
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-19
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-19
Aircraft Serial Number 19-3
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
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 May 10 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 33
Airframe Hours 3314
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CAREY, RAY G
Aircraft Owner Street Address 646 E DOWLING ROAD
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99502
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DONLAN, JEFFREY M.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 519 PEARL DRIVE
Operator City ANCHRORAGE
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99518
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LHD
Departure City ANCHORAGE
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1910
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SXQ
Destination City SOLDOTNA
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 14
Runway Length 1900
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --