- Date
- August 31, 1990, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Douglas, MA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N38428Piper J5 CUB
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 23, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900831037799A
- Case key
- 36730
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
A total engine failure when the #3 exhaust valve failed, causing internal damage to the engine. Factors related to the accident were: the pilot had to make a forced landing in unsuitable terrain.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane was at 2000 feet MSL cruise altitude when the engine failed. The pilot looked for suitable terrain to make a forced landing, but could find none. During the landing the right wing struck a tree. The examination of the engine revealed the #3 exhaust valve failed causing internal damage to the engine.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N38428
- Reported as
- Piper J5 CUB
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5-978
- Engine
- Continental C-85-12, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- John D. Bouchard
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 1990 · 24 hours before
- Departed
- 5B3 · Danielson, CT
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 36
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 3,400 total · 674 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.