What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On September 6, 1998, at 1707 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 140 airplane, N81045, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during an emergency landing seven miles southeast of the Fairbanks International Airport, Fairbanks, Alaska. The private pilot owner and the sole passenger were not injured. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR part 91 as a personal flight. The flight departed clear creek butte, Alaska, at 1615, and was returning to Fairbanks from a camping trip. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. The pilot told the NTSB investigator-in-charge during a telephone interview on September 6, that while in cruise at 1,500 feet MSL, he heard a "clunk" and the engine RPM began to decrease. He stated that application of carburetor heat, and changing fuel tanks had no effect. The engine noise continued, and engine power continued to decrease. The pilot notified the Fairbanks air traffic control tower of his emergency, made a forced landing in tundra, and the airplane nosed over onto its back. (.4) while in cruise flight the pilot heard a 'clunk' and engine RPM immediately began to decrease. The engine noi se and RPM decrease continued, the pilot performed a forced landing in tundra, and the airplane nosed over onto its back. Postaccident inspection revealed that the exhaust valve stem of the number two cylinder had separated, and the valve was ingested into the cylinder. The engine had accumulated 4,555 hours since new, and 1,089 hours since overhaul.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON SEPTEMBER 6, 1998, AT 1707 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 140 AIRPLANE, N81045, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT NOSED OVER DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING SEVEN MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE FAIRBANKS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FAIRBANKS, ALASKA. THE PRIVATE PILOT OWNER AND THE SOLE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED CLEAR CREEK BUTTE, ALASKA, AT 1615, AND WAS RETURNING TO FAIRBANKS FROM A CAMPING TRIP. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT TOLD THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE DURING A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW ON SEPTEMBER 6, THAT WHILE IN CRUISE AT 1,500 FEET MSL, HE HEARD A "CLUNK" AND THE ENGINE RPM BEGAN TO DECREASE. HE STATED THAT APPLICATION OF CARBURETOR HEAT, AND CHANGING FUEL TANKS HAD NO EFFECT. THE ENGINE NOISE CONTINUED, AND ENGINE POWER CONTINUED TO DECREASE. THE PILOT NOTIFIED THE FAIRBANKS AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER OF HIS EMERGENCY, MADE A FORCED LANDING IN TUNDRA, AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER ONTO ITS BACK. (.4) WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT THE PILOT HEARD A 'CLUNK' AND ENGINE RPM IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO DECREASE. THE ENGINE NOI SE AND RPM DECREASE CONTINUED, THE PILOT PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING IN TUNDRA, AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER ONTO ITS BACK. POSTACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE EXHAUST VALVE STEM OF THE NUMBER TWO CYLINDER HAD SEPARATED, AND THE VALVE WAS INGESTED INTO THE CYLINDER. THE ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED 4,555 HOURS SINCE NEW, AND 1,089 HOURS SINCE OVERHAUL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.