# NTSB ANC08LA052: Piper J5A, N38149, Big Lake, AK, April 13, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 12, 2008, 19:00 local (Apr 13, 2008, 03:00 UTC) - Place: Big Lake, AK - Coordinates: 61.534999, -149.808334 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.5350&lon=-149.8083&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report June 30, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Anchorage FSDO-03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 67821 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC08LA052 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/67821/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC08LA052 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power during takeoff/initial climb for an undetermined reason. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper J5A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7100702), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Not specified; cases with it: [Piper J5A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md?model=7100702), [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper J5A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7100702), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper J5A, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7100702), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The solo commercial pilot said the airplane lifted off the runway, climbed about 50 feet, and the engine quit. He said the airplane descended into trees at the end of the runway, sustaining structural damage to both wings, the tail, and fuselage. The pilot, who is a certificated aircraft mechanic, said the airplane had not flown in about a year, and that he had spent the day getting the airplane ready for the flight. He said that the airplane had fuel, and seemed to run fine on the ground. The pilot reported that he had moved the airplane around, raised the tail, and drained about 1-2 gallons of clear fuel from the airplane. He said he also preheated the engine for several hours prior to the accident flight. A detailed examination of the engine was not done, and the reason for the loss of engine power was not determined. ## Factual narrative On April 12, 2008, about 1900 Alaska daylight time, a Piper J5A airplane, N38149, sustained substantial damage during an emergency landing after takeoff, at the Big Lake Airport, Big Lake, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal local flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo commercial certificated pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on April 12, the pilot said the airplane lifted off the runway, climbed about 50 feet, and the engine quit. He said the airplane descended into trees at the end of the runway, sustaining structural damage to both wings, the tail, and fuselage during the accident. The pilot, who is a certificated aircraft mechanic, said the airplane had not flown in about a year, and that he had spent the day getting the airplane ready for a flight to Fairbanks, Alaska. He noted the accident flight was a test flight, that the airplane had fuel, and seemed to run fine on the ground. In a written statement dated April 20, the pilot explained that he had moved the airplane around, raised the tail, and drained about 1-2 gallons of clear fuel from the airplane prior to starting the engine. He said he had also preheated the engine for several hours prior to the accident flight. A detailed examination of the engine was not done, and the pilot said he was unsure why the engine lost power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N38149](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N38149-2018-01-18), registration cancelled 2018-01-18, S/N 5-896, built 1941 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper J5A - Registry model: [Piper J5A](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j5a) (registry code 7100702) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 5-896 - Airframe hours: 5300 - Engines: Lycoming O-235 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Thane Weythman - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 1, 2008 - Departed: BGQ, Big Lake, AK - Airport: BGQ, Big Lake, runway 25, 2,435 × 70 ft, gravel ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 30; injuries: minor; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 1, 2007; seat: front; flight hours: 1,786 total, 50 in this make and model, 1,726 as pilot in command, 0 in the last 90 days, 0 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 200° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 6,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 30 °F, dew point 16 °F - Observed at: PAWS, 12 nm away 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.