Accident Overview
During a commercial air taxi flight near Russian Mission, Alaska, a Cessna 207 experienced a loss of engine power. The pilot and passenger were uninjured following a forced landing on the frozen Yukon River.
Pilot Statement
The pilot reported that he had flown over the intended landing site to inspect the runway. While on the downwind leg, the engine lost most of its power. Unable to restore sufficient power to remain airborne, he chose to land on the nearby frozen river. During the landing approach, he misjudged his altitude due to the featureless, all-white surface of the river, and the aircraft struck the surface while still in a slight right turn.
Inspection Findings
An inspection of the crash site conducted two days after the accident revealed numerous ice crystals in the left fuel tank sump. No other obvious abnormalities were noted. The source states that it is unknown if the ice crystals found in the fuel tank were contributory to the accident due to the length of time between the sample collection and the accident.