On November 3, 1998, about 1450 Alaska standard time, a wheel equipped Piper PA-12 airplane, N5129Y, sustained substantial damage following a loss of engine power and subsequent off airport forced landing about 15 miles northeast of Willow, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The certificated private pilot, and the one passenger aboard were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on November 4, 1998, the pilot reported that while in cruise flight at 1,000 feet msl, all engine power was lost. He stated that all attempts to restore engine power failed, forcing him to select an open swampy meadow as an emergency landing area. During the ensuing landing roll, the airplane's main landing gear contacted soft tundra, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage and tail. The NTSB investigator-in-charge did not have access to the airplane or engine after recovery, and was unable to perform a postaccident inspection.