Why does this happen frequently?
The version of node on your local machine is v8.9.4. When you use the build command, your application is exported and the code is compiled specifically for this exact version of node. Your server environment also requires this exact version.
Here's an excerpt from the custom deployment section of the guide:
Depending on the version of Meteor you are using, you should install
the proper version of node by following the installation process that suits
your platform. To determine the required version of node, run meteor node -v in your development environment or check the .node_version.txt file within the generated bundle by meteor build.
Even if you don't explicitly use fibers, it is necessary to run your Meteor app successfully on the server.
How can this be resolved?
To solve this issue, you need to
a) ensure that the local node version matches exactly with the server's version
b) make sure to build against the architecture of the server (refer to the build command)
To install a) the specific node version on your server, you have two options:
Option I. Use n, as explained here. Note: This method only works if your server uses node instead of nodejs.
II. To install a particular nodejs version from the repositories, follow these steps:
$ cd /tmp
$ wget https://deb.nodesource.com/node_8.x/pool/main/n/nodejs/nodejs_8.9.4-1nodesource1_amd64.deb
$ apt install nodejs_8.9.4-1nodesource1_amd64.deb
If you're unsure which one is installed on your server, check the versions using node -v and nodejs -v. One of them will return a version. If your npm install still fails, examine the error output for any mention of either node or nodejs, and then proceed to install the desired distribution accordingly.
To build b) against the server's architecture, use the --architecture flag in your build command.