What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot departed lake hood airport, AK for planned 231 NM flight to Igiugig airport, AK in PA-12S aircraft resulted in forced landing on tundra, 8 NM short of destination airport due to rough running engine and eventual engine stoppage. During landing attempt, right wheel struck deep hole causing aircraft to swing 90 degrees to right causing damage to left wing, left landing gear, and lower fuselage. No obvious damage to engine or propeller. Pilot reported having filled both wing fuel tanks with 3:40 hours fuel on board for planned 2:44 hour flight. Pilot stated having previously flown route in same airplane before but had newly installed tundra type tires and encountered strong left crosswind during most of flight. Foreflight briefing used for preflight planning. Upon aircraft recovery and physical inspection, both wing fuel tanks found empty following visual inspection. Aircraft left fuel tank gauge indicated half full and right fuel tank gauge indicated empty. Pilot stated having digital fuel flow gauge installed in cockpit instrument panel indicating 7 gallons fuel remaining prior to loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing. Engine visually inspected and no obvious defects found. Upon servicing left fuel tank with 6 gallons fuel, engine started and operated smoothly throughout all normal indicating engine RPM ranges.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT DEPARTED LAKE HOOD AIRPORT, AK FOR PLANNED 231 NM FLIGHT TO IGIUGIG AIRPORT, AK IN PA-12S AIRCRAFT RESULTED IN FORCED LANDING ON TUNDRA, 8 NM SHORT OF DESTINATION AIRPORT DUE TO ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE AND EVENTUAL ENGINE STOPPAGE. DURING LANDING ATTEMPT, RIGHT WHEEL STRUCK DEEP HOLE CAUSING AIRCRAFT TO SWING 90 DEGREES TO RIGHT CAUSING DAMAGE TO LEFT WING, LEFT LANDING GEAR, AND LOWER FUSELAGE. NO OBVIOUS DAMAGE TO ENGINE OR PROPELLER. PILOT REPORTED HAVING FILLED BOTH WING FUEL TANKS WITH 3:40 HOURS FUEL ON BOARD FOR PLANNED 2:44 HOUR FLIGHT. PILOT STATED HAVING PREVIOUSLY FLOWN ROUTE IN SAME AIRPLANE BEFORE BUT HAD NEWLY INSTALLED TUNDRA TYPE TIRES AND ENCOUNTERED STRONG LEFT CROSSWIND DURING MOST OF FLIGHT. FOREFLIGHT BRIEFING USED FOR PREFLIGHT PLANNING. UPON AIRCRAFT RECOVERY AND PHYSICAL INSPECTION, BOTH WING FUEL TANKS FOUND EMPTY FOLLOWING VISUAL INSPECTION. AIRCRAFT LEFT FUEL TANK GAUGE INDICATED HALF FULL AND RIGHT FUEL TANK GAUGE INDICATED EMPTY. PILOT STATED HAVING DIGITAL FUEL FLOW GAUGE INSTALLED IN COCKPIT INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATING 7 GALLONS FUEL REMAINING PRIOR TO LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING. ENGINE VISUALLY INSPECTED AND NO OBVIOUS DEFECTS FOUND. UPON SERVICING LEFT FUEL TANK WITH 6 GALLONS FUEL, ENGINE STARTED AND OPERATED SMOOTHLY THROUGHOUT ALL NORMAL INDICATING ENGINE RPM RANGES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.