# Accident 19890215003239A: Piper J5A, Skwentna, AK, February 15, 1989

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 15, 1989, 14:15 local time
- Place: Skwentna, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 61.9301° N, 151.7307° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.9301&lon=-151.7307&mi=10
- Aircraft: N35038, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N35038-2013-08-22) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper J5A (registry code 7100702, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j5a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental C85 series (registry code 17008, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c85-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER J5A
- Reported engine: CONT C858
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 252 total, 123 in this make and model, 4 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC89LA044](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC89LA044) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890215003239A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

SKI EQUIPPED AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED ON A SNOW COVERED LAKE. STRUCK SNOW BERM, COLLAPSED GEAR LEG AND NOSED UP.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ANC89LA044](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC89LA044), Feb 15, 1989: Piper J-5 (N35038), Skwentna, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN OFF AIRPORT LANDINGS.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.
