Cessna 152 accident near Chugiak, Alaska, March 5, 1994
On March 5, 1994 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6469B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chugiak, Alaska (Birchwood airport). It was an instructional 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 FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE FROZEN MAIN LANDING GEAR BRAKE SHOE, THE UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT OPERATIONS BY AIRPORT PERSONNEL AND EXTREME LOW TEMPERATURE CONDIITONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 1994 · about 4:30 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
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N6469B · registry record · serial 83938
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS TAXIING ON A SNOW-COVERED TAXIWAY WHEN IT SWERVED AND COLLIDED WITH AN AUTOMOBILE PARKED ON THE EDGE OF THE TAXIWAY. THE TEMPERATURE AT THE TIME OF THE MISHAP WAS ABOUT ZERO DEGREES F. THE PILOT REPORTED ENCOUNTERING SOME LOOSE SNOW WHILE TAXIING AND HAD ATTEMPTED TO AVOID USING THE BRAKES BECAUSE OF THE DANGER OF THEM FREEZING.
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: student
- Flight time: 66 hours in all; 66 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 27 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,779 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 25, 1994; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Geo Morris, DBA Aviation North
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 4,010 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
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 ANC94LA038.