# NTSB ANC23LA020: Piper PA-16, N5987H, Soldotna, AK, February 9, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report
- Date: February 8, 2023, 17:00 local (Feb 9, 2023, 02:00 UTC)
- Place: Soldotna, AK · On airport tawiway
- Coordinates: 60.474864, -151.03964 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.4749&lon=-151.0396&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 106728
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC23LA020
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106728/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106728
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC23LA020

## Probable cause

A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Engine (reciprocating)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-16, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md?model=7101602), [All aircraft, 497 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md)
- [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-16, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7101602), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-16, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7101602), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that on departure the engine lost then regained power. The pilot turned the airplane back toward the airport to land and, during the turn, a total loss of engine power occurred. The airplane impacted a snowbank during the landing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

## Factual narrative

On February 08, 2023, about 1700 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-16 airplane, N5987H sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident in Soldotna, Alaska. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Shortly after takeoff, the engine lost partial power then regained power. The pilot turned the airplane back to the airport to perform an emergency landing. While in the turn, a total loss of engine power occurred and upon landing on airport property, the airplane impacted a snowbank. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. A postaccident examination of the engine, with oversight by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The carburetor icing chart shows the weather conditions were conducive for carburetor ice at glide or cruise power.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5987H](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5987H), registered now, S/N 16-615, built 1946 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-16
- Registry model: [Piper PA-16](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-16) (registry code 7101602) (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: 16-615
- Year built: 1946
- Engines: Lycoming O-320 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, January 18, 2023
- Destination: 88AK, Sterling, AK
- Airport: SXQ, Soldotna Airport, runway 07, 5,001 × 130 ft, snow
- Equipment: None

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 54; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 17, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,813.5 total, 215 in this make and model, 1,763 as pilot in command, 69.2 in the last 90 days, 28.5 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 60° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 6,500 ft overcast
- Temperature: 28 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observed at: PASX
- METAR: PASX 090156Z AUTO 06003KT 10SM OVC065 M02/M08 A2987 RMK AO2 SLP123 T10171078 FZRANO

## 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 20230208001129A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230208001129A), Feb 8, 2023: Piper PA-16, Soldotna, AK, Substantial damage. On 02/08/2023 pilot took off from pasx (Soldotna, AK) airport from rwy 7 at approx. 16:45 local. When at approximately 100-300 feet AGL pilot reduced power, at…

## Docket (5 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 14, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106728. 122 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 120 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15178581&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ANC23LA020%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Witness statement pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 63 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15186155&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ANC23LA020%20Pilot%20interview%20memo-Rel.pdf
- Engine examination (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 97 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15178445&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20N5987H_Farrell-Rel.pdf
- Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 23 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15179055&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ANC23LA020%20Wreckage%20Release%20Form-Rel.pdf
- Investigative photographs (item 5, PDF, 3 pages, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15178571&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ANC23LA020%20Investigative%20Photograhs_Redacted-Rel.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.

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