# Accident 19980330004879A: Piper J5C, Valdez, AK, March 30, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 30, 1998, 14:20 local time
- Place: Valdez, AK
- Airport: Valdez Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 61.1497° N, 146.8100° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.1497&lon=-146.8100&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4769C, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4769C-2019-04-23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper J5C (registry code 7100712, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j5c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER J5C
- Reported engine: LYC O290D2
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,381 total, 800 in this make and model, 12 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC98LA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA033) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980330004879A

## Narrative

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

RECENT OVERHAUL ENGINE QUIT ON CLIMBOUT. COLLIDED WITH POWER LINE LANDING ON HIWAY.(.4) ON MARCH 30, 1998, ABOUT 1420 ALASKA STANDARD TIME, A WHEEL EQUIPPED PIPER J5-C AIRPLANE, N4769C, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A FORCED LANDING, ABOUT 2 MILES SOUTHEAST OF VALDEZ, ALASKA. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) LOCAL AREA PERSONAL FLIGHT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT. THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE VALDEZ AIRPORT, ABOUT 1415. DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD (NTSB) INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE (IIC), ON MARCH 31, 1998, AT 1055, THE PILOT, WHO IS AN AVIATION MECHANIC, REPORTED HE RECENTLY COMPLETED AN ENGINE OVERHAUL ON THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE. THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT SINCE THE OVERHAUL. THE PILOT DEPARTED RUNWAY 06 AT VALDEZ, AND CLIMBED TO ABOUT 1,000 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT RUNNING. HE SAID HE RESTARTED THE ENGINE, BUT IT ONLY RAN ANOTHER 45 SECONDS BEFORE STOPPING AGAIN. THE PILOT SELECTED AN EMERGENCY      LANDING AREA ON A HIGHWAY, BUT HAD TO SLIP THE AIRPLANE TO AVOID SEVERAL VEHICLES ON THE HIGHWAY. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE, ABOUT 25 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE THEN DESCENDED TO THE GROUND AND RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING, THE RIGHT WING SPAR, AND THE LANDING GEAR. ON APRIL 16, 1998, A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR, ANCHORAGE FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE (FSDO), REPORTED THE PILOT/MECHANIC HAD COMPLETED A DISASSEMBLY OF THE ENGINE. ALL OF THE ENGINE CYLINDERS WERE SCORED. THE PILOT HAD INSTALLED CHROME CYLINDERS, AND DURING THE ASSEMBLY, HE APPLIED A COATING OF LIGHT GREASE TO EACH ENGINE CYLINDER BORE. THE ENGINE THEN WAS TEMPORARILY STORED BEFORE BEING INSTALLED ON THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE. ACCORDING TO THE FAA INSPECTOR, THE ENGINE CYLINDERS REQUIRED AN APPLICATION OF A THICKER GREASE THAN WHAT WAS USED BY THE PILOT. (-23) ON THE OPERATIONAL CHECK FLIGHT AFTER ENGINE OVERHAUL, THE ENGINE QUIT. A SUBSEQUENT ATTEMPT TO LAND ON A HIGHWAY FAILED WHEN THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK POWER LINES.

## 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 ANC98LA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA033), Mar 30, 1998: Piper J5-C (N4769C), Valdez, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The owner/pilot mechanic's improper overhaul of the engine, and lack of proper lubricating cylinder grease. A factor in the accident was the lack of a suitable area for a forced landing.

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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