Amateur-built Kolb Fire Star II accident near Chugiak, Alaska, November 1, 2002
On November 1, 2002 at about 5:45 pm local time, a amateur-built Kolb Fire Star II, registered N8199, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chugiak, Alaska (Birchwood airport). 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 inadequate preflight inspection which failed to remove contaminated fuel from the airplane's fuel system, resulting in a loss of engine power during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 1, 2002 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Chugiak, Alaska · Birchwood · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Kolb Fire Star II
- Registration
- N8199 · registry record · serial 1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot/owner reported that the experimental homebuilt airplane had been stored outside, and had not been utilized within the last two years. He said that just prior to the accident, he had accomplished three successful touch-and-go landings. During the fourth takeoff roll, the airplane climbed to about 50 feet above the runway, and the Rotax 503 engine suddenly lost significant power. During the subsequent forced landing, the airplane collided with several trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. An FAA inspector inspected the airplane and reported that both carburetor float bowls contained murky, silty, and rust-colored fuel.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 300 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 23 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503-DCD1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BCV Chugiak AK at 5:00 pm
- Destination: BCV Chugiak AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19R, 4,010 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°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.
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.