DEN84LA052

1983-12-27 · GREAT FALLS, Montana, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport GTF

Aircraft involved

N39451 Lake LA-4-200 None

Factual narrative

THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED IN A FORCED LANDING ON A HIGHWAY AFTER THE ENGINE SEIZED. THE PLT SAID 'THE ENGINE MADE UNUSUAL SOUNDS OF AN ENGINE RUNNING BAD.' THEN IT LOST COMPRESSION AND SEIZED. HE MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A HIGHWAY AND DAMAGEDTHE HULL. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED A SITUATION WHERE THE MAIN OIL BREATHER FROZE PREVENTING OIL VAPOR PRESSURE FROM VENTING; CAUSING THE ENGINE SEALS TO FAIL AND THEREBY DEPLETNG THE OIL SUPPLY. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1983_DEN84LA052.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.