Accident Overview
On September 28, 2014, at approximately 1450 Alaska daylight time, a Piper J-3 airplane, registration N7092H, collided with terrain after experiencing a loss of engine power about 20 miles north of Circle, Alaska. The aircraft was owned and operated by a private pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight plan had been filed.
The accident resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. The pilot was transported to a hospital for treatment and subsequently released.
Pilot Statement
In the weeks following the accident, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and FAA made multiple unsuccessful attempts to contact the pilot. On April 1, 2015, the pilot contacted the FAA and provided a statement about the flight. He reported that he was returning from his homestead, located approximately 140 miles north of Circle, when the engine lost all power at about 20 miles north of Circle.
The pilot executed a forced landing in a burned-out area of trees. The airplane sustained damage to both wings, the left wing spar, and the fuselage. After landing, he observed that the right wing fuel cap was missing. The pilot stated that he had added five gallons of fuel to the right fuel tank before departure and had flown with the fuel selector positioned on the right tank for the entire flight. He did not attempt to switch the fuel selector to the left tank after the engine lost power.
Investigation
The NTSB did not examine the accident aircraft. Despite repeated requests, the pilot did not submit an NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1). No probable cause was determined by the NTSB.