Engine failure forces emergency landing near Talkeetna

TALKEETNA — Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating what caused the engine failure that forced pilot William Fitzgerald, 58, of Talkeetna to make an emergency landing May 27 in his 1951 Piper Super Cub.

A caller at a cabin near the accident scene reported the incident to Alaska State Troopers at about 7:37 p.m., Sunday. The caller indicated that the plane had gone down northeast of Talkeetna about a half-mile from the cabin, and that the pilot was not injured.

The 11th Rescue Coordination Center arranged for a National Park Service helicopter and crew to respond from Talkeetna Airport, according to an Alaska State Troopers incident report.

Fitzgerald was picked up and transported back to Talkeetna. He told troopers he was able to land the plane in a swamp without sustaining damage, but he had no way out.