# NTSB ANC13LA102: Piper J3L-65, N38262, Nondalton, AK, September 5, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 5, 2013, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: Nondalton, AK - Coordinates: 60.20861, -155.28334 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.2086&lon=-155.2833&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 14, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) - NTSB case key (mKey): 88057 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC13LA102 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/88057/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88057 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC13LA102 ## Probable cause The fracture and subsequent failure of the No. 4 cylinder exhaust valve during cruise flight, which resulted in a total loss of engine power. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine (reciprocating): recip eng cyl section](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper J3L-65, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530/cases.md?model=7100546), [All aircraft, 373 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340); cases with it: [Piper J3L-65, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340/sequence.md?model=7100546), [All aircraft, 820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper J3L-65, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7100546), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Piper J3L-65, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7100546), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Piper J3L-65, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=7100546), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, while the airplane was in level cruise flight, he heard a loud "pop," followed by a total loss of engine power. He subsequently made a forced landing to an open, tundra-covered site. During the forced landing, the airplane nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed a fractured exhaust valve stem on the No. 4 cylinder, which subsequently pulverized the electrodes on both sparks plugs and severely damaged the piston. ## Factual narrative On September 5, 2013, about 1300 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Piper J3L-65 airplane, N38262, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing, following a loss of engine power, near Nondalton, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal cross-country flight under the provisions of Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The private pilot and one passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed about 1150, from the Keyes Point Airstrip, a private remote fly-in community about 18 miles southwest of Port Alsworth, Alaska. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on September 11, the pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was to scout for moose to hunt. He said that while in level cruise flight, he heard a loud "pop," which was followed by a total loss of engine power, and he made a forced landing to an open, tundra-covered site. During the forced landing, the airplane nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. When the flight failed to arrive back at the Keyes Point Airstrip on the evening of September 5, a concerned family member of the passenger reported the airplane overdue. The flight was officially reported overdue to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) at 1238, on September 6. Search personnel from the Civil Air Patrol, Alaska State Troopers, Alaska Air National Guard, along with several volunteers, were dispatched to conduct an extensive search effort. No emergency transmitter locator (ELT) signal was received by search personnel. The accident airplane was equipped with an older generation 121.5 MHz ELT instead of a digital, 406 MHz ELT that instantly transmits a distress signal to search and rescue satellites, thereby alerting rescue personnel within minutes of the location of the crash. As of February 1, 2009, analog, 121.5 MHz ELT's stopped being monitored by search and rescue satellites, and the installation of the 406 MHz has been voluntary. Both types of ELT's can be turned on manually, or automatically, by impact forces. On September 7, about 2151, the airplane's overturned wreckage was located by an Alaska State Trooper search airplane about 10 miles north-northwest of Nondalton, but the two occupants were not found at the accident site. On September 8, about 1200, the two uninjured occupants were located about 3 miles northwest of Nondalton. The airplane was equipped with a Continental Motors C-85 series engine. The airplane owner's insurance company sold the airplane wreckage on an "as is, where is" basis. According to the new owner, a postaccident inspection of the airplane's engine revealed a fractured exhaust valve stem on the number four cylinder, which subsequently pulverized the electrodes on both sparks plugs, and severely damaged the piston. Once thenumber 4 cylinder was replaced, the engine was started, and it continued to operate without further mechanical anomalies. The fractured valve stem was not made available to the NTSB for examination. After repeated requests, the accident pilot did not submit the required 6120.1 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N38262](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N38262), registered now, S/N 6887, built 1941 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER J3L-65 - Registry model: [Piper J3L-65](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3l-65) (registry code 7100546) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-145B series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-145b-series) (registry code 41502, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 6887 - Year built: 1941 - Engines: Continental Motors C-85 Series 85 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Patrick Paul Williams - Registered owner: James Larry Minton - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: Port Alsworth, AK - Destination: Port Alsworth, AK ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 99,999 total, 9,999 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 55 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20130905018599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130905018599A), Sep 5, 2013: Piper J3L-65, Nondalton, AK, Substantial damage. The aircraft was missing for two days and was located north of Nondalton, Alaska on September 7, 2013. The aircraft was upside down with no occupants.… ## Other investigations on N38262 (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 NYC75FFA37](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC75FFA37), May 17, 1975: Piper J3C-65 (N38262), Marlboro, NY, substantial damage ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 5, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88057. 216 KB in all. - Record of Conversation - Post Accident (item 1, .PDF, 32 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40419713&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Post%20Accident-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation - Williams (item 2, .PDF, 184 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40419714&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Williams-Redacted.PDF 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.