Piper J3 accident near Skwentna, Alaska, March 10, 1995
On March 10, 1995 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper J3, registered N88415, was substantially damaged in an accident near Skwentna, Alaska. It was a ferry 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
A FROZEN ENGINE BREATHER TUBE WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF OIL AND ENGINE POWER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 1995 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Skwentna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3 · all J3s on the register
- Registration
- N88415 · no longer on the register · serial 16139
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A CROSS-COUNTRY FERRY FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE'S WINDSHIELD BEGAN TO GET SPATTERED WITH OIL AND THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE BEGAN TO DECREASE. THE PILOT SELECTED A FORCED LANDING AREA ON A REMOTE FROZEN LAKE. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT WING STRUCK A TREE, PRODUCING DAMAGE TO THE WING AND FUSELAGE. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE BREATHER TUBE WAS FROZEN OVER. DUE THE REMOTE NATURE OF THE AREA, THE PILOT REPLACED THE ENGINE OIL AND DEPARTED THE LAKE. THE AIRPLANE WAS FLOWN TO THE NEXT AVAILABLE AIRSTRIP AND SECURED. DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE WAS REPORTED TO THE NTSB 12 DAYS LATER.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,100 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 1,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,598 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 22, 1995; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BGQ Big Lake AK at 5:00 pm
- Destination: MCG Mcgrath AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N88415 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.