# Accident 19970705016799A: Dhav DHC2MK1, Skwentna, AK, July 5, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 5, 1997, 09:30 local time
- Place: Skwentna, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: EMHA
- Location: 61.9302° N, 151.7310° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.9302&lon=-151.7310&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5164G (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: DHAV DHC2MK1
- Reported engine: PWA R985AN14B
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 4
- Pilot flight hours: 3,350 total, 2,200 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC97FA099](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC97FA099) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970705016799A

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT CRASHED EN ROUTE. (.4) THE PILOT BOARDED THE 4 PASSENGERS AND CARGO (UNSECURED) FOR A CHARTERED FLIGHT TO A FISHING LODGE. THE FLOATPLANE DEPARTED UNEVENTFULLY. ABOUT 45 MIN. LATER, WHILE CRUISING ABOUT 1,700 FT. ABOVE RUGGED TERRAIN AND A RIVER, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER AND THE FLOATPLANE DESCENDED. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING IN A SMALL LAKE THAT WAS 1,200 FT. IN LENGTH AND LOCATED ABOUT 1 MILE WEST OF THE RIVER. DURING THE APPROACH TO LANDING, THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND IMPACTED SWAMPY TERRAIN AT THE LAKE'S EDGE IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE NO. 1 ENGINE EXHAUST PUSHROD HAD FAILED IN FATIGUE JUST BELOW THE TOP (VALVE) BALL END. EXAMINATION OF THE PUSHROD REVEALED THAT MATERIAL HAD BEEN PUSHED AWAY FROM THE ROD DURING INSTALLATION OF THE BALL END. THE FATIGUE CRACK MAY HAVE INITIATED FROM A SCORE MARK PRODUCED BY THE INSTALLATION. PUSHROD LIFE IS REDUCED DUE TO SURFACE SCRATCHES. THE LIFE OF THE FAILED PUSHROD COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION EXISTS IN THE OVERHAUL MANUAL REGARDING PUSHROD LIFE/INSPECTION.

## 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 ANC97FA099](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC97FA099), Jul 5, 1997: de Havilland DHC-2 (N5164G), Skwentna, AK, substantial damage, 4 fatal. Probable cause: a loss of engine power due to the fatigue failure of the no.1 exhaust push rod. Factors contributing to the accident were: insufficient information on pushrod inspection and overhaul from the…

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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