Accident Overview
On June 1, 2014, at about 1315 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 182K airplane, registration N2631R, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing near Galena, Alaska. The pilot and one passenger received minor injuries, while two passengers were uninjured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Flight Details
The pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to transport three employees from two remote locations to Fairbanks, Alaska, for a training class. After departing Fairbanks International Airport (FAI), the pilot flew to the two locations and picked up the employees without incident. The flight then departed Kaltag, Alaska, destined for Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL) in Galena for a planned fuel stop before returning to FAI.
Engine Failure and Forced Landing
As the airplane approached GAL while flying level at 1,500 feet mean sea level, the engine began to run roughly and lose power. The pilot applied carburetor heat, but it had no effect. He confirmed that the fuel selector was set to both and observed that the fuel totalizer indicated about 22.8 gallons of fuel remaining; however, both fuel gauges indicated near empty with little or no needle movement. Shortly thereafter, the engine lost all power, and the pilot chose to conduct a forced landing on a lake shoreline. During the landing, the airplane flipped over, became partially submerged, and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings.
Post-Accident Examination
The wreckage was recovered about 1.5 months after the accident. Examination of the wing fuel bladders revealed that at least five bladder fastening snaps in the left wing and three snaps in the right wing were unfastened; however, it could not be determined if the snaps became unfastened before, during, or after the accident or during recovery. No other evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation was found. According to the Federal Aviation Administration carburetor icing probability chart, the temperature and dew point at the time of power loss were conducive to the accumulation of serious icing at cruise power settings.