On March 6, 1986, a Cessna 177 (registration N3476T) was involved in an aviation accident near Anaconda, MT. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A passenger reported engine power loss during cruise over mountainous terrain. The pilot attempted a forced landing but struck a tree, causing the aircraft to crash. Investigation revealed automotive fuel and water contamination in the pilot's storage tank, with no evidence of engine failure.
Accident Overview
A passenger reported that the engine lost power while the aircraft was cruising over mountainous terrain. The pilot attempted a forced landing, but the aircraft struck a tree and crashed. The sole surviving passenger provided this account.
Investigation Findings
Approximately five gallons of automotive fuel were drained from the wing tank. A fuel sample taken from the pilot's storage tank revealed some water contamination. The aircraft had been operating at 9,000 feet mean sea level in below-freezing temperatures for approximately one hour and five minutes.
Engine Examination
Disassembly of the engine revealed no evidence of mechanical failure. The carburetor bowl was found to be clean, dry, and absent of fuel. These findings indicate that the engine was not experiencing a mechanical malfunction at the time of the event, but rather a lack of fuel delivery consistent with fuel starvation or contamination.