What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Ptrs # AL201101131MARK keech was involved in an accident with his personal aircraft 18 miles west of clear Alaska. Mr. Keech had just spent 5 days trapping and flying in the lake minchumina area. He filled his fuel tanks from jugs and said he filtered the fuel when poured into the aircraft. He also said while he was out there he only used the right fuel tank because he had a step on that side of the aircraft, the left tank was only partly full. The day of the accident he filled both tanks, sumped the tanks and found no water. He did use a propane heater to preheat the aircraft engine. During the flight he switch between tanks like normal during flight and had carburetor heat on because of the cold temperatures which were around -22 f at the time. At about 1500 local and 18 miles west of clear, AK his engine sputtered and acted like it was not getting fuel he switched fuel tanks, and moved the throttle around to see if it would help but it did not. The engine quit and he had no choice but to put the aircraft down at that time due to his altitude. After the accident happened Mr. Keech took the gascolator apart and found ice crystals in the fuel.
As the FAA filed it
PTRS # AL201101131MARK KEECH WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WITH HIS PERSONAL AIRCRAFT 18 MILES WEST OF CLEAR ALASKA. MR. KEECH HAD JUST SPENT 5 DAYS TRAPPING AND FLYING IN THE LAKE MINCHUMINA AREA. HE FILLED HIS FUEL TANKS FROM JUGS AND SAID HE FILTERED THE FUEL WHEN POURED INTO THE AIRCRAFT. HE ALSO SAID WHILE HE WAS OUT THERE HE ONLY USED THE RIGHT FUEL TANK BECAUSE HE HAD A STEP ON THAT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT, THE LEFT TANK WAS ONLY PARTLY FULL. THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT HE FILLED BOTH TANKS, SUMPED THE TANKS AND FOUND NO WATER. HE DID USE A PROPANE HEATER TO PREHEAT THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE. DURING THE FLIGHT HE SWITCH BETWEEN TANKS LIKE NORMAL DURING FLIGHT AND HAD CARBURETOR HEAT ON BECAUSE OF THE COLD TEMPERATURES WHICH WERE AROUND -22 F AT THE TIME. AT ABOUT 1500 LOCAL AND 18 MILES WEST OF CLEAR, AK HIS ENGINE SPUTTERED AND ACTED LIKE IT WAS NOT GETTING FUEL HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS, AND MOVED THE THROTTLE AROUND TO SEE IF IT WOULD HELP BUT IT DID NOT. THE ENGINE QUIT AND HE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO PUT THE AIRCRAFT DOWN AT THAT TIME DUE TO HIS ALTITUDE. AFTER THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED MR. KEECH TOOK THE GASCOLATOR APART AND FOUND ICE CRYSTALS IN THE FUEL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.