# NTSB ANC94LA058: Piper J5A, N35395, Lake George, AK, May 24, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 24, 1994, 11:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Lake George, AK - Coordinates: 61.619323, -148.980667 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.6193&lon=-148.9807&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 12, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 2502 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC94LA058 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/2502/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC94LA058 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM TREES DURING TAKEOFF. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE BENT GEAR LEG. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Main gear collapsed, landing - roll - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor) - landing gear,main gear strut - overload - In flight collision with object, takeoff - initial climb - clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HIT A POT HOLE DURING LANDING AT THE STRIP AND DAMAGED THE RIGHT GEAR LEG, BENDING IT BACK. HE THEN DECIDED TO TAKE OFF AND BRING THE DAMAGED AIRPLANE TO ANCHORAGE. DURING TAKEOFF THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TREES. THE PILOT CONTINUED THE FLIGHT TO THE BUTTE AIRSTRIP AND LANDED. HE FOUND THE LEFT ELEVATOR BENT DOWNWARD 90 DEGREES. HE DETERMINED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS STILL AIRWORTHY, TOOK OFF, AND SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED AT THE LAKE HOOD AIRSTRIP. ## Factual narrative On May 24, 1994, at approximately 1100 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Piper J5A airplane, N35395, struck small trees on takeoff from the Lake George airstrip, near the base of the George Glacier. The airplane's elevator was substantially damaged by impact forces but the pilot continued the flight and successfully landed at Butte airstrip. The commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed for the flight conducted without a flight plan under 14 CFR Part 91 for personal reasons. The pilot told FAA inspectors and the NTSB that he had hit a pot hole on the lake George strip upon landing and damaged the right gear leg, bending it aft. He decided to take off and bring the damaged airplane to Anchorage. After striking trees on departure and seeing he could still control the airplane, he flew on to the Butte airstrip, 20 miles northwest. There he examined the damaged airplane and upon finding the left elevator bent downward 90 degrees, he made the determination that the airplane was still airworthy and departed for Anchorage. Upon landing at the Lake Hood airstrip, an FAA inspector noticed the damaged airplane and inspected the airplane. The pilot told investigators that he believed that the damage was limited to that which defined the event to an "incident." He said that he had planned to remove and replace the control surface. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N35395](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N35395-2012-10-04), registration cancelled 2012-10-04, S/N 5646, 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: [Continental C85 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c85-series) (registry code 17008, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 5646 - Airframe hours: 1800 - Engines: LYCOMING O-290-11 125 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Wayne Mattingly - Registered owner: Orville W. Mattingly - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 23, 1993, 100 hours before - Destination: Z41, ANCHORAGE, AK - Airport: Lake George Strip ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: front; flight hours: 525 total, 70 in this make and model, 410 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 50 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 45 °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 19940524012269A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940524012269A), May 24, 1994: Piper J5A, Lake George Str, AK, Substantial damage. Struck small trees on takeoff from remote strip. Had bent right gear and elevator landing. Stayed aloft. Flew home. ## Other investigations on N35395 (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 ANC06LA129](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC06LA129), Aug 30, 2006: Piper J5A (N35395), North Pole, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation during cruise flight, and an emergency landing. 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.