# Incident 19950122009049I: Cessna 207A, Bethel, AK, January 22, 1995

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 22, 1995, 17:45 local time
- Place: Bethel, AK
- Airport: Bethel
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: EPUA
- Location: 60.7922° N, 161.7558° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Bethel, AK, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.7922&lon=-161.7558&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5277J, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5277J) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 207A (registry code 2073605, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-207a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520-F (registry code 17237, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 207A
- Reported engine: CONT IO520F
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,000 total, 202 in this make and model, 202 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950122009049I

## Narrative

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

NARRATIVE: AIRCRAFT DEPARTED TOKSOOK BAY FOR BETHEL, ALASKA WITH MAIL ONBOARD. WHILE DESCENDING INTO BETHEL, ALASKA THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE AND SMOKE FILLED THE COCKPIT. ALSO, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED FIRE COMING OUT OF THE COWLING. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO LAND ON A FROZEN LAKE. PRIOR TO COMING TO A STOP THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED OVER CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING TIP, PROPELLER AND SPINNER. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. A SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION OF THE DAMAGE BY THE PILOT AND MECHANICS REVEALED THAT AN ENGINE PISTON CONNECTING ROD FRACTURED AND BROKE THROUGH THE CASE. THE OWNER DOES NOT INTEND TO HAVE THE ENGINE DISASSEMBLED TO DETERMINE WHY THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THERE WAS NO MID AIR COLLISION AND THE AIRPORT AND WEATHER WERE NOT A FACTOR. THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD WAS NOTIFIED AND DAMAGE CLASSIFIED AS AN INCIDENT.

## Other reports on N5277J (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20230717005609I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230717005609I), Jul 17, 2023: Cessna 207A (N5277J), Toksook Bay, AK, Minor damage. While taxiing out form ramp area at Toksook Bay, the PIC heard a noise outside of the aircraft and decided to return to the ramp area and shutdown to…
- [Accident 20041011032309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041011032309A), Oct 11, 2004: Cessna 207A (N5277J), Chefornak, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) October 11, 2004, Alaska daylight time, hageland aviation services an air carrier certificate holder operating under 14 CFR part 135 as a commuter…

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.

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