Accident Details
On March 10, 2010, about 1500 Alaska standard time, a ski/wheel equipped Cessna A185E, N70039, landed hard during a forced landing near Ophir, Alaska. The flight was operated by a private individual under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Takotna, Alaska, about 1415, destined for McGrath Airport, McGrath, Alaska. The airplane sustained substantial damage; the commercial certificated pilot and two passengers were not injured.
Pilot Account
The pilot stated the purpose of the flight was to see the Iditarod sled race. He had departed Anchorage the previous day with full fuel tanks and flew to Nikolai, Alaska, landing uneventfully after approximately 1 hour 30 minutes. The airplane remained on the ground overnight. On the accident date, it was flown from Nikolai to Takotna, remaining on the ground about 3 hours. The pilot departed Takotna with approximately 35 gallons of fuel as indicated by the fuel quantity gauges and flew toward Cripple. About halfway to Cripple, he elected to fly to McGrath, at which time the airplane was about 5 miles east of Ophir.
While flying between 500 and 600 feet, the engine suddenly quit. The pilot turned the boost pump to high, moved the fuel selector from the "both" position, and moved the magneto switch in attempts to restore engine power. Unable to restore power, he maneuvered for a forced landing in a clearing. During a controlled descent, the left wing collided with a tree, causing the airplane to decelerate. The airplane then impacted the ground hard, coming to rest upright in a left wing low attitude. The occupants evacuated, and the pilot radioed on 121.5 MHz, announcing a forced landing and giving coordinates. The flight crew of a Chinese airline heard the call and relayed it to air traffic control. Another aircraft associated with the Iditarod sled race flew to the accident site and advised the pilot of the direction of the sled race trail. Before leaving the area, the pilot noticed fuel leaking from the left wing fuel vent line and attempted to stop it by turning the firewall fuel shutoff valve to the off position. He and the passengers walked toward the trail and were taken by snowmobile to Ophir.
Inspection and Findings
Because of the remote location, an inspection by FAA personnel was not possible before recovery. The individual who recovered the airplane reported approximately 20 gallons of fuel were drained from the tanks. The airplane was later removed and transported to Anchorage, Alaska, for further examination.
Following recovery, an FAA airworthiness inspector examined the airplane and engine. All three propeller blades were bent aft with some leading edge damage. All engine controls and external fluid hoses were secure and properly attached. The engine rotated freely, and all accessories exhibited normal motion. The airplane's fuel system and fuel strainers were examined with no discrepancies noted. No determination could be made as to the reason for the reported loss of engine power.