Piper PA-14 accident near Chugiak, Alaska, August 19, 1998
On August 19, 1998 at about 5:30 am local time, a Piper PA-14, registered N4214H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chugiak, Alaska (Birchwood airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power for an undetermined reason.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 19, 1998 · about 5:30 am local time
- Place
- Chugiak, Alaska · Birchwood · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-14 · all PA-14s on the register
- Registration
- N4214H · registry record · serial 14-101
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot departed on a local flight in a tailwheel equipped airplane. He reported that he had completed three, solo, touch-and-go landings, after which a passenger boarded the airplane for a local area flight. He stated that while departing runway 19, all engine power was lost, and that he did not have sufficient altitude to return to the runway. He said that he made a forced landing in trees bordering the runway. In the pilot's written statement to the NTSB, he reported that when the flight originated, the right main fuel tank was full, and the left main fuel tank was about one-quarter full. Both auxiliary fuel tanks were empty, and not in use at the time of the accident. The pilot stated that the entire flight was accomplished with the fuel selector valve on the right main tank. A pilot-rated police officer that responded to the initial accident call, arrived on scene about 15 minutes after the accident. He reported that upon his arrival, the left main fuel tank was 'dry', and the right fuel tank appeared to be full. He added that the main fuel selector valve had been placed in the 'off' position prior to his arrival. The police officer said that the pilot had closed the fuel valve prior to exiting the airplane.
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: 333 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 333 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,281 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 5, 1997; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BCV at 11:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 4,010 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N4214H 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 ANC98LA123.