Probable cause
A total loss of engine power for an undetermined reason.
NTSB analysis
The pilot said that while on a Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight, he planned to fly over an off-airport site to inspect it before landing. After completing a low pass over the site, he advanced the throttle to climb, and all engine power was lost. The pilot selected an area of rough and uneven terrain at the departure end of the site as a forced landing area. During the forced landing, the left wing struck the ground, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. A nearby aviation weather reporting station reported atmospheric conditions suitable for carburetor icing, but the pilot stated in his written report to the NTSB that he used carburetor heat throughout the descent and approach to the site. A postaccident inspection by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector disclosed no evidence any preimpact mechanical problems.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ANC08LA126 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Sep 20, 2008
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Palmer, Alaska
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Piper PA-19
- N-number
- N3267Y
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.