Piper PA-18 accident near Chugiak, Alaska, April 4, 1989
On April 4, 1989 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N8677C, 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
CARBURETOR ICE DUE TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF POWERPLANT CONTROLS; AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHILE MANEUVERING (TURNING LEFT), WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO USE ALL AVAILABLE RUNWAY, AND 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 4, 1989 · about 7:45 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
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N8677C · registry record · serial 18-2822
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT WHEN THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING AT ABOUT 20 TO 30 FT AGL, HE MADE A POWER REDUCTION, THEN THE ENG LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING. HE WAS NOT SURE HE COULD CLEAR A FENCE THAT WAS AHEAD & TURNED LEFT ABOUT 110 DEG. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT IMPACTED ON RELATIVELY FLAT, FROZEN TERRAIN. IT SLID 96 FT & CAME TO REST ABOUT 175 FT EAST OF THE RWY. THE BROKEN CARBURETOR WAS REMOVED & DISASSEMBLED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR NOTICEABLE CONTAMINATION WAS FOUND. THE ENG WAS OPERATIONALLY CHECKED; IT STARTED & OPERATED WITH NO PROBLEMS THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE ACDNT. THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 36 & 27 DEG, RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO CARB ICE CHARTS, CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE TO CARBURETOR ICE. THE ACDNT OCCURRED AFTER THE PLT HAD INITIATED AN INTERSECTION TAKEOFF WITH ABOUT 1960 FT OF RWY REMAINING.
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
- Flight time: 700 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 650 as pilot in command; 100 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,977 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1988; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Z15 Chugiak AK at 2:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 4,010 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 pm from FRN, 10 miles away
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.