What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On June 9, 2000, about 1445 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Piper PA-18-150, N9739P, sustaine substantial damage during a forced landing at an off airport site located about 35 miles nw of Skwentna, AK. The solo certificated private pilot was not injured. The airplane was being operated as a VFR personal flight under part 91 when the accident occurred. VMC prevailed; no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at hilltop airstrip, chugiak, AK, about 1230. The pilot reported that while in cruise flight, about 200 feet above the ground, all engine power was lost. He said that the fuel selector valve was on the right fuel tank and that he intended to "run the right tank dry," then switch tanks. As the engine began to lose power, he switched the selector to the left fuel tank, but engine power was not immediately restored, and he selected a forced landing area on a sandy river bank. During the landing roll, as he applied the brakes, the airplane slowly nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing strut, and rudder. The pilot stated that just prior to the accident flight, he added hydraulic brake fluid to the brake system, which made the brakesmore sensitive.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JUNE 9, 2000, ABOUT 1445 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A WHEEL-EQUIPPED PIPER PA-18-150, N9739P, SUSTAINE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A FORCED LANDING AT AN OFF AIRPORT SITE LOCATED ABOUT 35 MILES NW OF SKWENTNA, AK. THE SOLO CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VFR PERSONAL FLIGHT UNDER PART 91 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. VMC PREVAILED; NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT HILLTOP AIRSTRIP, CHUGIAK, AK, ABOUT 1230. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, ABOUT 200 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, ALL ENGINE POWER WAS LOST. HE SAID THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS ON THE RIGHT FUEL TANK AND THAT HE INTENDED TO "RUN THE RIGHT TANK DRY," THEN SWITCH TANKS. AS THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER, HE SWITCHED THE SELECTOR TO THE LEFT FUEL TANK, BUT ENGINE POWER WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY RESTORED, AND HE SELECTED A FORCED LANDING AREA ON A SANDY RIVER BANK. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, AS HE APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE AIRPLANE SLOWLY NOSED OVER. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING STRUT, AND RUDDER. THE PILOT STATED THAT JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, HE ADDED HYDRAULIC BRAKE FLUID TO THE BRAKE SYSTEM, WHICH MADE THE BRAKESMORE SENSITIVE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.