Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Birchwood Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Chugiak, Alaska 99567
Thursday, June 26, 1997 10:30 AKD
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
A flight instructor (CFI) was providing a Biennial Flight Review (BFR) to the owner of a tailwheel equipped airplane. The airplane's last annual inspection had lapsed, and the owner's BFR was not current. The owner filled the airplane's fuel tanks from a personally owned fuel tank that contained a mixture of 25 percent aviation fuel and 75 percent automotive fuel. The owner said he drained the airplane's fuel tanks before the flight, and did not notice any contamination. An engine run-up was completed without any deficiencies, and the fuel selector was positioned to the left tank. After takeoff, about 400 feet above the ground, the engine began to lose power and run rough. The owner selected an emergency landing area in an area of small trees and brush. The airplane collided with several trees, and received damage to the fuselage and wings. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed water in the carburetor and the left wing fuel tank. An analysis of fuel from the owner's fuel tank failed the specifications for aviation gasoline.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
water contamination in the fuel, the second pilot's inadequate preflight/preparation to ensure all water was drained from the airplane fuel tanks, and inadequate supervision by the first pilot (CFI). A factor relating to the accident was: the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/26/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1030 |
| Event Time Zone | -- |
| Event City | CHUGIAK |
| Event State | ALASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 99567 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | BIRCHWOOD |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | BCV |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 200 |
| Airport Elevation | 96 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1035 Atlantic Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 20 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BCV |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 96 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | ADT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 17 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 9 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 310 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 2 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 933 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 26 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1035 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 15 2009 10:00AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1386A |
| NTSB Number | ANC97LA091 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-18 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | PA-18 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 18-1219 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1750 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 27 1995 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 52 |
| Airframe Hours | 2783 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | MARK J. KELLIHER |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 11317 TERRACE HILL |
| Aircraft Owner City | EAGLE RIVER |
| Aircraft Owner State | AK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 99577 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | |
| Operator City | |
| Operator State | |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | |
| Operator Code | |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Unknown |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | BCV |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1029 |
| Departure Time Zone | ADT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Emergency landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 15 2009 10:00AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 19 |
| Runway Length | 4010 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |