Piper PA-24-180 accident near Chugiak, Alaska, April 28, 2009
On April 28, 2009 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-180, registered N7352P, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Chugiak, Alaska (Birchwood airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the pilot during a simulated loss of engine power, and the pilot's failure to use carburetor heat while operating at a reduced engine power while in carburetor icing conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 2009 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Chugiak, Alaska · Birchwood · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-180 · all PA-24-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7352P · no longer on the register · serial 24-2530
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated flight instructor (CFI) was administering a biennial flight review to the private pilot/airplane owner whose previous biennial review had expired. The CFI said that while in level flight at 1,600 feet msl, as the airplane approached the accident airport, he closed the engine throttle, and told the pilot that he was simulating an engine failure, then instructed the pilot to make an emergency descent and landing at the airport ahead. During the simulated emergency descent, the CFI momentarily advanced the engine throttle to ensure engine power was still available, and the engine appeared to respond accordingly. As the approach progressed, the pilot lowered the landing gear, and the airplane's descent rate increased significantly. The CFI instructed the pilot to go-around when he realized that the airplane was too low on the approach. The pilot immediately applied full engine throttle, but the engine did not respond, and he selected an area of grass-covered terrain as a forced landing site. During the forced landing the airplane struck a perimeter fence, and the nose and main landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. An NTSB postaccident inspection disclosed no evidence any preimpact mechanical problems. An aviation weather reporting station indicated that the temperature was 54 degrees F, and the dew point was 32 degrees F. When these values are entered into a carburetor icing probability chart, the results are in the "Serious icing-glide power" category. Both pilots reported that carburetor heat was not used during the simulated emergency descent and approach. A pilot that landed about 15 minutes after the accident reported that while on approach, his airplane's engine developed carburetor ice, which required the use of carburetor heat. Given the lack of any mechanical anomalies it is likely that the formation of carburetor ice resulted in the loss of engine power.
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
What happened, in order
- Simulated/training event during maneuvering
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine controls › (general) › Not used/operated
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 5,200 hours in all; 200 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 2, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,976 hours in all; 610 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 2,834 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 5, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,048 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2009; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MRL Anchorage AK at 5:50 pm
- Destination: BCV Chugiak AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01L, 4,008 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.38 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from BCV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.