N25ZZ

On August 17, 1999, about 1417 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 182Q airplane, N25ZZ, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing about 7 miles southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska, at latitude 64 degrees, 42.65 minutes north, and longitude 147 degrees, 46.36 minutes west. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane was registered to the passenger, and operated by the pilot. The airline transport certificated pilot, and the sole passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at the Anchorage International Airport, Anchorage, Alaska, about 1200.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on August 19, 1999, the pilot reported he and the pilot-rated passenger were traveling throughout Alaska. The pilot said the airplane was last fueled in Yakutat, Alaska, the day before the accident. He then flew to Anchorage and spent the night. Before departure on the accident flight, the pilot said a preflight inspection found no water in the fuel. He estimated he had about 50 gallons of fuel. After departure, he intended to land at North Pole, Alaska, for fuel, and was slowly descending from 5,500 feet. About 3,500 feet, the engine began to run rough and lose power. He adjusted the carburetor heat control, and the mixture control, but the engine roughness intensified. About 1,200 feet, the engine quit running. He selected an emergency landing area in soft, tundra-covered terrain. After touchdown, the airplane nosed over. The airplane's nose gear was sheared off, and the airplane received damage to the propeller, left wing, the vertical stabilizer, and the rudder.

The distance from Anchorage, to the accident site, without any deviation, is about 230 nautical miles. According to the airplane's information manual, the airplane can burn up to about 13 gallons per hour. Cruise performance varies from about 115 to 140 knots true airspeed.

In the Pilot/Operator report (NTSB form 6120.1/2) submitted by the pilot, the pilot said that after the accident, the odor of fuel permeated the air. While the pilot and passenger were removing their baggage, they noticed fuel squirting from the fuel tank air vent tube.

About two hours after the accident, an Alaska State Trooper traveled to the scene by helicopter to pick up the pilot and passenger. The trooper reported he did not see or smell the odor of fuel at the accident site.

On August 19, 1999, the airplane wreckage was retrieved by a helicopter company from Fairbanks. During the recovery, the wings and engine were removed from the fuselage. The crew documented that the engine throttle, mixture, and propeller cables were properly connected from the instrument panel to the engine. The recovery crew did not notice any fuel in the wing fuel tanks. They did find fuel in the lines between the tanks, the fuel strainer, and an engine fuel line.

On August 20, 1999, two Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors from the Fairbanks Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) examined the recovered airplane wreckage. The inspectors noted that no fuel was present in the fuel tanks. The fuel tank screens were unobstructed. A small amount of fuel was found in the fuel strainer. Activation of the engine fuel primer produced fuel from the primer line. The carburetor inlet fuel screen was removed, and a small amount of fuel was found. The screen was clean and unobstructed. The carburetor bowl was about 1/4 full of fuel. Activation of the throttle arm produced fuel from the accelerator pump nozzle. Hand rotation of the engine confirmed valve action, and spark from the spark plug leads.