Piper PA-18-180, N6774B: Federal investigators can't find reason airplane engine died during deer-counting flight. Accident occurred January 02, 2011 in Shoshoni, Wyoming.

RIVERTON, Wyo. — Aviation investigators say they couldn't determine why a small plane's engine died during a deer-counting flight near Shoshoni in January, forcing an emergency landing.

A report released Wednesday by the National Transportation Safety Board says the plane had fuel and no problems were found in the engine or other systems.

The flight was for the U.S. Agriculture Department's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. A USDA pilot and another USDA employee were aboard the single-engine plane. Neither was hurt.

Their names haven't been released.

The landing gear, propeller and a wing strut were damaged.

NTSB Identification: WPR11TA087
14 CFR Public Use
Accident occurred Sunday, January 02, 2011 in Shoshoni, WY
Aircraft: PIPER PA-18-180, registration: N6774B
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.On January 2, 2011, about 1315 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-18-180, N6774B, experienced a gear collapse during a forced landing about 10 miles southeast of Shoshoni, Wyoming. The commercial pilot and his passenger were not injured, but the airplane, which was owned by STP Aviation LLP, and operated by the United States Department of Agriculture, sustained substantial damage. The local Public Use wildlife aerial observation flight, which departed Riverton Municipal Airport, Riverton, Wyoming, about four hours prior to the accident, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed.
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