Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Nenana, Alaska 99760
Friday, October 14, 2005 9:30 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

In preparation for a cross-country personal flight in an amateur built experimental airplane, the private certificated pilot preheated the engine, conducted a preflight, and started the engine to warm it up. After departure, he leveled the airplane in cruise flight, with an outside ambient temperature of about 12 degrees F. About 15 minutes after takeoff, the engine lost power and the propeller stopped. The pilot attempted to restart the engine, but it would not rotate, and he selected an area of small trees for a forced landing. Following the accident, the pilot said he noticed oil covering the belly of the airplane. The airplane was equipped with a remote oil filter housing which was designed for racing/automotive use, and was mounted on the firewall for ease of servicing. The filter is comprised of a rectangular cast aluminum housing. The center of each half of the housing has a raised horizontal rib along the longest axis of the case that incorporates an oil passage. An examination of the housing revealed a vertical, 1.25 inch crack in the center rib of the upper housing half. The crack was also visible on the inside of the housing in the center of the horizontal oil passage. The inner and outer filter screen rubber gaskets were undamaged. The mechanism for the initiation of the crack was not determined.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of engine power during cruise flight due to a cracked oil filter housing and subsequent loss of engine oil, which resulted in a forced landing in trees.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/14/2005
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone --
Event City Nenana
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99760
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 644500N
Event Location Longitude 1495300W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19307
NTSB Notification Source FAA Regional Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Oct 14 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 28 2006 1:55PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA-AL-FAI FSDO 01

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N239PT
NTSB Number ANC06LA005
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 Crisenbery
Aircraft Model Northman 2+2
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 597
Certified Max Gross Weight 2175
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 110
Airframe Hours 410
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Christopher J. Gossen
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Fairbanks
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99709
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Nenana
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 915
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PAFA
Destination City Fairbanks
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency descent/landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 13 2006 3:03PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --