What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 22 nov 2016, N83641 (a Piper PA-18-150), departed a sand bar shortly after landing for a break at 1330 hours. On climb out it was noticed that engine oil pressure had red lined at 100 PSI. Power was reduced to 2150 rpm's and oil pressure came down to 90 PSI. PIC decided to head back to Bethel Alaska to investigate reason for high oil pressure. The aircraft slowly climbed to 1000' AGL and engine gauges were monitored. All gauges were reading in the green with exception of oil pressure, which remained in the yellow arc. Carburetor heat was pulled to check for carburetor icing. At approx. 1347 hours smoke started to enter cabin. PIC stated that he could identify by the smell that the smoke was not from an electrical source. PIC turned aircraft into the wind, pulled power to idle, put in full flaps, and descended planning to land immediately if he saw flames. After a couple of seconds, no flames were noticed and the engine continued to run smoothly with no noises out of the ordinary. PIC made the decision to land on a small frozen lake nearby. PIC added power and as the aircraft was turned crosswind to downwind, the engine quit. A forced landing was made on the tundra. Substantial damage to the aircraft occurred.
As the FAA filed it
ON 22 NOV 2016, N83641 (A PIPER PA-18-150), DEPARTED A SAND BAR SHORTLY AFTER LANDING FOR A BREAK AT 1330 HOURS. ON CLIMB OUT IT WAS NOTICED THAT ENGINE OIL PRESSURE HAD RED LINED AT 100 PSI. POWER WAS REDUCED TO 2150 RPM'S AND OIL PRESSURE CAME DOWN TO 90 PSI. PIC DECIDED TO HEAD BACK TO BETHEL ALASKA TO INVESTIGATE REASON FOR HIGH OIL PRESSURE. THE AIRCRAFT SLOWLY CLIMBED TO 1000' AGL AND ENGINE GAUGES WERE MONITORED. ALL GAUGES WERE READING IN THE GREEN WITH EXCEPTION OF OIL PRESSURE, WHICH REMAINED IN THE YELLOW ARC. CARBURETOR HEAT WAS PULLED TO CHECK FOR CARBURETOR ICING. AT APPROX. 1347 HOURS SMOKE STARTED TO ENTER CABIN. PIC STATED THAT HE COULD IDENTIFY BY THE SMELL THAT THE SMOKE WAS NOT FROM AN ELECTRICAL SOURCE. PIC TURNED AIRCRAFT INTO THE WIND, PULLED POWER TO IDLE, PUT IN FULL FLAPS, AND DESCENDED PLANNING TO LAND IMMEDIATELY IF HE SAW FLAMES. AFTER A COUPLE OF SECONDS, NO FLAMES WERE NOTICED AND THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN SMOOTHLY WITH NO NOISES OUT OF THE ORDINARY. PIC MADE THE DECISION TO LAND ON A SMALL FROZEN LAKE NEARBY. PIC ADDED POWER AND AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS TURNED CROSSWIND TO DOWNWIND, THE ENGINE QUIT. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE ON THE TUNDRA. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT OCCURRED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.