# Accident 20021201033079A: Piper J5A, Soldotna, AK, December 1, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 1, 2002, 13:00 local time
- Place: Soldotna, AK
- Airport: Soldotna
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 60.4761° N, 151.0325° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.4761&lon=-151.0325&mi=10
- Aircraft: N270JS, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N270JS) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper J5A (registry code 7100702, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j5a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-290 series (registry code 41506, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER J5A
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC03LA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC03LA016) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20021201033079A

## Narrative

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

(-23) THIS ACCIDENT INVOLVED A WHEEL EQUIPPED PIPER J-5A AIRPLANE FLOWN BY A COMMERCIALLY RATED PILOT. PRIOR TO FLIGHT, THE PILOT ADDED ABOUT SEVEN GALLONS OF FUEL TO THE FUEL TANKS. SUMPED BOTH OF THE WING TANKS AND THE FUEL SYSTEM GASCOLATOR. SOME WATER WAS OBTAINED FROM THE WING TANKS, PILOT CONTINUED TO DRAIN FUEL UNTIL THERE WAS NO WATER. NO WATER WAS OBTAINED FROM THE GASCOLATOR. THE PILOT DEPARTED FROM RUNWAY 7 AT THE SOLDOTNA AIRPORT. AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 200 FEET THE ENGINE "COUGHED", THE PILOT APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT AND ADJUSTED THE MIXTURE. THE ENGINE MOMENTARILY STARTED TO RUN NORMALLY, BUT THEN STOPPED. PILOT WAS ALREADY IN A LEFT TURN, SO THE PILOT CONTINUED THE TURN IN ORDER TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY THAT HE HAD JUST DEPARTED FROM. UPON LANDING, THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR CONTACTED THE RUNWAY HARD CAUSING THE LEFT MAIN LANDING TO COLLAPSE. WHEN THE LEFT MAIN LANDING COLLAPSED THE LEFT WING TIP AND ONE PROPELLER BLADE STRUCK THE RUNWAY.

## 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 ANC03LA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC03LA016), Dec 1, 2002: Piper J5A (N270JS), Soldotna, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to remove all water from the airplane's fuel supply during the preflight inspection, which resulted in a loss of engine power and subsequent hard landing.

## Other reports on N270JS (1)

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

- [Accident 20050220006409A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050220006409A), Feb 20, 2005: Piper J5A (N270JS), Kenai, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot did a precautionary landing due to high oil pressure indication. During touchdown on an isolated road, the a/c rt ski or wing-tip struck a snow…

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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