Incident Overview

Date: Tuesday 22 July 2008
Aircraft Type: de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter
Owner/operator: Rainbow King Lodge
Registration Number: N61FE
Location: Iliamna, Alaska – ÿ United States of America
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Substantial
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Component Affected: Left wing’s leading edge and fuselageLeft wing’s leading edge and fuselage
Investigating Agency: NTSBNTSB
Category: Accident
A solo airline transport pilot was conducting a reconnaissance flight in a float-equipped airplane under 14 CFR Part 91 near a wilderness lodge, encountering an engine failure and subsequent loss of power. The pilot descended to a road and struck a tree, resulting in a left wing strike and departure from the roadway. The airplane sustained damage to the left wing’s leading edge and fuselage.A solo airline transport pilot was conducting a reconnaissance flight in a float-equipped airplane under 14 CFR Part 91 near a wilderness lodge, encountering an engine failure and subsequent loss of power. The pilot descended to a road and struck a tree, resulting in a left wing strike and departure from the roadway. The airplane sustained damage to the left wing’s leading edge and fuselage.

Description

The solo airline transport pilot was making a local reconnaissance flight in a float-equipped airplane under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 in conjunction with a wilderness lodge business. The pilot said that he was scouting local lakes and rivers for fish and, while returning to a float pond near the lodge, the airplane’s engine lost oil pressure and then lost power. The pilot said that he descended to a road, and that after he touched the floats on the road the left wing struck a tree, causing the airplane to depart the roadway. The airplane sustained damage to the left wing’s leading edge and fuselage. A mechanic said that the number 8 cylinder separated from the engine, causing an oil line to separate. Probable Cause: A total loss of engine power due to the separation of the number 8 cylinder from the engine, which separated an oil line, resulting in a loss of oil and oil pressure. Contributing to the accident was the float-equipped airplane’s forced landing on a road.

Primary Cause

Separation of the number 8 cylinder from the engine, leading to oil line separation and loss of oil and oil pressure.Separation of the number 8 cylinder from the engine, leading to oil line separation and loss of oil and oil pressure.

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