What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On March 30, 2005 about 1040 Alaska standard time a Cessna 140 airplane, N2204N, sustained substantial damage when it impactd trees during an emergency descent and landing following a total loss of power about 5 miles south of the Denali national park airport, Denali national park, AK. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal cross country flight under title 14, CFR part 91 when the accident occurred. The sole private pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight departed Denali national park about 1035. During a telephone conversation with the NTSB iic the park ranger who spoke with the pilot said the pilot told him the airplane started running rough during the take-off roll. The pilot said he applied carburetor heat and continued the take-off. About 5 miles south of the airport the engine quit. The pilot said while attempting an emergency landing in a snow covered meadow the airplanes left wing struck a tree and the aircraft came to rest inverted in a creek.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MARCH 30, 2005 ABOUT 1040 ALASKA STANDARD TIME A CESSNA 140 AIRPLANE, N2204N, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT IMPACTD TREES DURING AN EMERGENCY DESCENT AND LANDING FOLLOWING A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER ABOUT 5 MILES SOUTH OF THE DENALI NATIONAL PARK AIRPORT, DENALI NATIONAL PARK, AK. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED BY THE PILOT AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) PERSONAL CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14, CFR PART 91 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE SOLE PRIVATE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED DENALI NATIONAL PARK ABOUT 1035. DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE NTSB IIC THE PARK RANGER WHO SPOKE WITH THE PILOT SAID THE PILOT TOLD HIM THE AIRPLANE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH DURING THE TAKE-OFF ROLL. THE PILOT SAID HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT AND CONTINUED THE TAKE-OFF. ABOUT 5 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT SAID WHILE ATTEMPTING AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A SNOW COVERED MEADOW THE AIRPLANES LEFT WING STRUCK A TREE AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST INVERTED IN A CREEK.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.