ANC99LA034

The private pilot rented the accident airplane from a local flight school. He reported that while in cruise flight, the engine began to run rough, and lose power. The engine continued to lose power until altitude could no longer be maintained, and the pilot selected a frozen lake as an emergency landing site. He said that as the airplane touched down, deep snow pivoted the airplane to the right, and the left wing struck the snow. An FAA inspector interviewed the owner of the airplane on the following day. He reported that the owner and his mechanic traveled to the accident site in order to recover the accident airplane. The owner told the FAA inspector that upon arrival at the accident site, the engine primer was found in the unlocked position. He added that once the primer was placed in the locked position, the engine was started. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and elevator. During a subsequent follow-up telephone conversation with the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the pilot said the airplane's primer was in and locked at the time of the accident.

On March 16, 1999, about 1130 Alaska standard time, a wheel equipped Cessna 150 airplane, N8620S, sustained substantial damage during an emergency landing, about 40 miles northeast of Fairbanks, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The pilot was renting the airplane from Quicksilver Airways of Fairbanks. The certificated private pilot and the one passenger aboard were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Fairbanks International Airport, Fairbanks, about 1030.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on March 16, the pilot reported that while in cruise flight, the engine began to run rough, and lose power. The engine continued to lose power until altitude could no longer be maintained, and the pilot selected a frozen lake as an emergency landing site. He said that as the airplane touched down, deep snow pivoted the airplane to the right, and the left wing struck the snow.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector from the Fairbanks Flight Standards District Office, interviewed the owner of the airplane the following day. He reported that the airplane owner and his mechanic traveled to the accident site in order to recover the accident airplane. The inspector did not accompany the owner to the accident site. The owner told the FAA inspector that upon his arrival at the accident site, the engine primer was found to be in the unlocked position. The owner added that once the primer was placed in the locked position, the engine was started. Due to propeller damage sustained in the accident, the engine was only run at an idle.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and elevator.

During a subsequent follow-up telephone conversation with the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the pilot said the airplane's primer was in and locked at the time of the accident.