- Date
- June 6, 1995, 23:08 local (Jun 7, 1995, 07:08 UTC)
- Place
- Fairbanks, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9958YChampion 7GCB
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19950606017919A
- Case key
- 2658
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to refuel the airplane prior to fuel exhaustion. A factor associated with the accident is the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported he departed a lake with what he believed was sufficient fuel for the intended flight. En route, the airplane ran out of fuel and the pilot made a forced landing on a small, swampy lake, damaging the airplane's floats and wings.
Factual narrative
On June 6, 1995, about 2308 Alaska daylight time, a float- equipped Champion 7GCB airplane, N9958Y, sustained substantial damage following a loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing on a small lake/swamp located approximately ten miles south of Fairbanks, Alaska. The solo private pilot/registered owner of the airplane was not injured. The personal flight operated in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight departed Wien Lake about 2230.
The pilot reported in his written report to the NTSB that he thought there was more fuel in the airplane than there was, and that he inadvertently allowed the airplane to run out of gas while returning from Wien Lake. He said he landed on a small swamp, and collided with trees during the landing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9958Y
- Reported as
- Champion 7GCB
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 9958Y
- Airframe hours
- 2,065
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Tom V. Zimmerman
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 23, 1995 · 5 hours before
- Departed
- Wien Lake, AK
- Destination
- FAI
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 200 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N9958Y · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.