NTSB Factual Report

On September 1, 2001, about 1530 Alaska daylight time, a float-equipped experimental/homebuilt Jacobs KE-1-A airplane, N24KJ, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing, about 4.4 miles north of Willow, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The private certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at the Lake Hood Seaplane Base, Anchorage, Alaska, at 1500.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on September 6, 2001, the pilot reported that the accident airplane was one of two airplanes flying from Lake Hood to Stephan Lake, located about 30 miles northeast of Talkeetna, Alaska. The pilot said that during cruise flight about 2,300 feet msl, the engine lost power, decreasing from 2,350 to about 1,500 RPM. She activated the engine boost pump, and the engine RPM increased, but then decreased again. The pilot said she made several attempts to regain engine RPM by the use of the boost pump and engine throttle, but the engine quit. The pilot selected a small lake for an emergency landing, but the airplane touched down in an area of soft, swampy terrain, about 50 yards short of the lake. During the landing roll, the left wing collided with a tree, sustaining damage to the wing spar.

On March 7, 2002, in a telephone conversation with the NTSB IIC, the owner/operator of the airplane reported that following recovery of the airplane, it underwent repairs. During the repair, the operator said that no mechanical malfunction was found.

NTSB Probable Cause

A loss of engine power during cruise flight for an undertermined reason.