Cessna 140 N81045

Summary

On 7 September 1998 at about 01:07 local time, a Cessna 140 registered N81045 was involved in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 September 1998 at 01:07

Classification

Accident

Location

Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

64.9000, -148.1594

Aircraft

Cessna 140

Registration

N81045

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Clear Creek → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC98LA140

Nobody was injured.

The loss of engine power due to an in-flight fracture of an engine exhaust valve stem assembly. A factor associated with the accident was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

While in cruise flight the pilot heard a 'clunk' and engine rpm immediately began to decrease. The engine noise and rpm decrease continued, the pilot performed a forced landing in tundra, and the airplane nosed over onto its back. Postaccident inspection revealed that the exhaust valve stem of the number two cylinder had separated, and the valve was ingested into the cylinder. The engine had accumulated 4,555 hours since new, and 1,089 hours since overhaul.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.