CANYON CREEK, AK, USA
N679RK
PIPER PA-18
THE PLT STATED THAT ABOUT 15 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENG LOST POWER. RPRTDLY, IT LOST POWER AFTER THE LEFT TANK EMPTIED. HE SWITCHED TO THE RIGHT TANK, BUT RPRTDLY THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT ALT TO OBTAIN A RESTART BEFORE HE WAS FORCED TO LAND ON ROUGH TERRAIN. THE PLT RPRTD HE NORMALLY OPERATED THE ACFT BY USING FUEL FROM THE LEFT TANK & HAD NOT USED FUEL FROM THE RIGHT TANK IN SEVERAL MONTHS. HE BELIEVED A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER MAY HAVE COME FROM THE RIGHT TANK & PREVENTED AN IMMEDIATE RESTART OF THE ENG. THE ACDNT OCCURRED IN A REMOTE AREA & THE OCCUPANTS OF THE ACFT WERE NOT RECOVERED FOR SIX DAYS. THE ACFT WAS NOT RETRIEVED (AS OF THE DATE OF THE PLT'S ACDNT RPRT).
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION CONCERNING FUEL MANAGEMENT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: PROBABLE WATER IN THE FUEL, INADEQUATE ALTITUDE FOR AN ENGINE RESTART, AND THE TERRAIN CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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