Piper PA-12-150 accident near Birchwood, Alaska, May 23, 1992
On May 23, 1992 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-12-150, registered N7869H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Birchwood, 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 LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S INTENTIONAL GROUND LOOP.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 1992 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Birchwood, 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-12-150 · all PA-12-150s on the register
- Registration
- N7869H · registry record · serial 12-772
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS AND DURING THE TAKEOFF PHASE AT 50 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY THE ENGINE STOPPED PRODUCING POWER. HE LANDED ON THE OVERRUN AND GROUND LOOPED THE AIRPLANE TO AVOID STRIKING THE AIRPORT BOUNDARY FENCE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE SHOWED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OF THE ENGINE, ITS SYSTEMS, FUEL SYSTEM, OR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE AIRPLANE WAS USING A CLEAR FUEL WHICH LOOKED AND SMELLED LIKE AUTOMOTIVE 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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,565 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 10,265 as pilot in command; 2,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,412 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 20, 1992; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 4,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 90 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 104°F (40°C), dew point 86°F (30°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.