Piper PA-14 accident near Chickaloon, Alaska, September 23, 2021
On September 23, 2021 at about 3:26 am local time, a 1948 Piper PA-14, registered N4276H, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Chickaloon, Alaska (King Ranch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power during takeoff for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 23, 2021 · about 3:26 am local time
- Place
- Chickaloon, Alaska · King Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-14, built 1948 · all PA-14s on the register
- Registration
- N4276H · registry record · serial 1480
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The accident flight was the first flight after the airplane’s annual inspection. The pilots completed a “thorough” preflight inspection, and an engine run-up revealed no anomalies. Just after the airplane became airborne during takeoff, the engine lost power, regained power momentarily, and then lost power again. Insufficient runway remained on which to land, and the airplane impacted an area of tree- and brush-covered terrain off the end of the runway and nosed over. Examination of the engine and fuel system did not reveal any anomalies that would have resulted in a loss of engine power. The reason for the loss of power could not be determined based on the available information.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Unknown or undetermined during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Inoperative
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,991 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 139 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 1,899 as pilot in command; 529 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 29, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 9,600 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 0 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 9,500 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 1, 2020
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,339.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 22, 2021; 0.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,935 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A2A (piston); 2,048 hours total
- Operator: Kingdom Air Corps
The flight
- Departed from: AK59 Sutton AK at 3:25 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 1,800 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.83 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from PAQ, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N4276H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC21LA096.