What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
At 1730 local the pilot departed the north Cubs airstrip (8AK8) near wasilla, Alaska on a VFR flight to the ocean view airstrip (AK12) anchorage, Alaska.
After selecting the incorrect fuel tank
The pilot reported that shortly after his departure from 8AK8, his aircraft had a sudden loss of power followed by total power failure.
He immediately switched tanks but his attempts to restart were unsuccessful.
He shared that he configured for best glide and committed himself to land in the susitna river. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The pilot explained that he was not injured, and was the sole occupant onboard with his dog.
The pilot said that to prevent the aircraft from being pushed down river risking more damage, he elected to remove the aircraft from the river. He hiked out of the area, contacted his friend and with his friends assistance pulled the aircraft to the shore, disassembled, and trailered it to the friends hangar where it remains to date.
Two days following the accident the pilot contacted the NTSB to report the accident. He noted that his delay in reporting was mainly because of being distraught by what happened and that he was not sure how to handle it.
As the FAA filed it
AT 1730 LOCAL THE PILOT DEPARTED THE NORTH CUBS AIRSTRIP (8AK8) NEAR WASILLA, ALASKA ON A VFR FLIGHT TO THE OCEAN VIEW AIRSTRIP (AK12) ANCHORAGE, ALASKA.
AFTER SELECTING THE INCORRECT FUEL TANK
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT SHORTLY AFTER HIS DEPARTURE FROM 8AK8, HIS AIRCRAFT HAD A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER FOLLOWED BY TOTAL POWER FAILURE.
HE IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED TANKS BUT HIS ATTEMPTS TO RESTART WERE UNSUCCESSFUL.
HE SHARED THAT HE CONFIGURED FOR BEST GLIDE AND COMMITTED HIMSELF TO LAND IN THE SUSITNA RIVER. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
THE PILOT EXPLAINED THAT HE WAS NOT INJURED, AND WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT ONBOARD WITH HIS DOG.
THE PILOT SAID THAT TO PREVENT THE AIRCRAFT FROM BEING PUSHED DOWN RIVER RISKING MORE DAMAGE, HE ELECTED TO REMOVE THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE RIVER. HE HIKED OUT OF THE AREA, CONTACTED HIS FRIEND AND WITH HIS FRIENDS ASSISTANCE PULLED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE SHORE, DISASSEMBLED, AND TRAILERED IT TO THE FRIENDS HANGAR WHERE IT REMAINS TO DATE.
TWO DAYS FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT THE PILOT CONTACTED THE NTSB TO REPORT THE ACCIDENT. HE NOTED THAT HIS DELAY IN REPORTING WAS MAINLY BECAUSE OF BEING DISTRAUGHT BY WHAT HAPPENED AND THAT HE WAS NOT SURE HOW TO HANDLE IT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N171Q · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.