What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On July 2, 2001, at 0645 adt, Mr. Philip horton, the pilot and sole occupant of float-equipped Cessna 180, N4989A, made an emergency landing on zero lake, approximately 1 mile n of Houston, Alaska. The aircraft was destroyed by the post-landing fire. The pilot stated that during the flight from willow lake to seymour lake, the engine began to run rough and lost power. The pilot performed an emergency landing. After landing, he noticed smoke and flames in the lower cowling area, and abandoned the aircraft. Flames spread throughout the cabin area as the aircraft burned on the water.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JULY 2, 2001, AT 0645 ADT, MR. PHILIP HORTON, THE PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT OF FLOAT-EQUIPPED CESSNA 180, N4989A, MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON ZERO LAKE, APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE N OF HOUSTON, ALASKA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY THE POST-LANDING FIRE. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE FLIGHT FROM WILLOW LAKE TO SEYMOUR LAKE, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND LOST POWER. THE PILOT PERFORMED AN EMERGENCY LANDING. AFTER LANDING, HE NOTICED SMOKE AND FLAMES IN THE LOWER COWLING AREA, AND ABANDONED THE AIRCRAFT. FLAMES SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE CABIN AREA AS THE AIRCRAFT BURNED ON THE WATER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.