Piper J-5A accident near Kenai, Alaska, February 20, 2005
On February 20, 2005 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper J-5A, registered N270JS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kenai, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for a precautionary landing, which resulted in a collision with a snow berm during the landing flare. Factors contributing to the accident were flat light conditions, the presence of a snow berm along the edge of a roadway selected as the landing area, and a high oil pressure gage indication.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 20, 2005 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Kenai, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J-5A · all J-5As on the register
- Registration
- N270JS · registry record · serial 5-18
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in cruise flight in a ski-equipped airplane, the commercial certificated pilot noticed that the engine oil pressure gauge was indicating high, near the maximum limit. He did not recall the engine oil temperature. He decided to make a precautionary landing on a snow-covered rural road that was about 25 feet wide and straight, with no obstacles. During the landing flare, the pilot said that flat light conditions prevented him from seeing a plowed snow berm along the right edge of the road. About 5 feet above the ground, the right main landing gear ski collided with the snow berm, and spun the airplane 180 degrees. The airplane then continued backwards into a large snow bank. The airplane received structural damage to the right wing and fuselage.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,300 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,300 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,386 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2004
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PASX Soldotna AK at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from PAEN, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N270JS the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.