Incident Overview
An aircraft experienced a power loss and was forced to land on the tundra while returning from a search mission. The person being searched for was a friend of the pilot. The aircraft had been in flight for 5.5 hours before heading home; its maximum range is 6 hours.
Flight History
Prior to departure, the fuel tanks were not topped off, and the pilot did not visually check the fuel levels. During the search mission, the aircraft made one landing, but no refueling was accomplished. It is possible that the pilot searched longer than necessary because the lost person was a friend, contributing to the fuel exhaustion on the return leg.
Outcome
The aircraft landed on the tundra following the power loss. No further details are available regarding injuries or damage to the aircraft.