Accident Overview
The pilot of a light airplane fueled the aircraft from plastic fuel containers and subsequently did not drain the fuel sumps. The airplane was equipped with a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) permitting the use of auto fuel, and auto fuel was being used at the time of the incident.
Flight Details
During the flight, the pilot observed that the left fuel gauge indicated a low fuel level while the right fuel gauge showed full, even though the fuel selector was set to the BOTH position. In an attempt to equalize the fuel, the pilot slipped the airplane with the intention of moving fuel from the right tank to the left tank. While executing the slip, the engine lost power and stopped producing thrust. The pilot was unable to restart the engine before the airplane descended.
Landing
The pilot performed a forced landing in deep snow on the Bonsilla River. The landing was conducted without prior restart of the engine. The specifics of injuries or damage are not provided in the source.