Pilot Was Landing On A Remote Off-Airport Gravel Bar Located Along A River

On September 22, 2020, about 1900 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 170B, N4380B, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Big Lake, Alaska. The pilot was not injured. The Cessna was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations CFR Part 91 flight. According to the pilot, he was landing on a remote off-airport gravel bar located along a river. During short final, at about 20 ft above ground level (AGL), the airplane’s engine sputtered followed by a partial loss of power. The engine then surged briefly followed by a total loss of engine power as the propeller continued to windmill. Subsequently, the airplane touched down in the river short o