What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft landed on private grass strip, lost control, ran off strip, hit pine trees. (.4)the pilot stated that while Landing on his own runway, he drifted off the left side of the mowed runway surface and as a result, the left wing collided with trees that borders the runway. (-23) on August 16, 1997, at approximately 2014 EDT (8:14 pm), a Piper colt (PA-22), registration number N5713Z, piloted by Mr. Bruce e. laird, was operating under visual flight rules (VFR) and under the authority of us CFR 14, part 91, on a flight from the carrol county (Georgia) airport to Mr. Laird's privately owned airstrip located at privacy data omitted the purpose of the flight was to conclude a recreational sequence originating from his airstrip to carrol county and back to his home airport. Upon Landing and after touchdown at the private airstrip, the aircraft's left wing impacted several small pine trees growing at the edge of the prepared surface of the runway. Subsequent to impact, the aircraft swerved left, departing the prepared surface and proceeding down a ten foot embankme nt toward a pine tree grove. Upon entering the grove, both wings impacted several mature pine trees, bringing the aircraft to an immediate halt while sustaining significant damage to both wings and the Landing gear undercarriage. Only minor injuries were sustained by the pilot and no passengers were on board.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT LANDED ON PRIVATE GRASS STRIP, LOST CONTROL, RAN OFF STRIP, HIT PINE TREES. (.4)THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE LANDING ON HIS OWN RUNWAY, HE DRIFTED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE MOWED RUNWAY SURFACE AND AS A RESULT, THE LEFT WING COLLIDED WITH TREES THAT BORDERS THE RUNWAY. (-23) ON AUGUST 16, 1997, AT APPROXIMATELY 2014 EDT (8:14 PM), A PIPER COLT (PA-22), REGISTRATION NUMBER N5713Z, PILOTED BY MR. BRUCE E. LAIRD, WAS OPERATING UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) AND UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF US CFR 14, PART 91, ON A FLIGHT FROM THE CARROL COUNTY (GEORGIA) AIRPORT TO MR. LAIRD'S PRIVATELY OWNED AIRSTRIP LOCATED AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO CONCLUDE A RECREATIONAL SEQUENCE ORIGINATING FROM HIS AIRSTRIP TO CARROL COUNTY AND BACK TO HIS HOME AIRPORT. UPON LANDING AND AFTER TOUCHDOWN AT THE PRIVATE AIRSTRIP, THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT WING IMPACTED SEVERAL SMALL PINE TREES GROWING AT THE EDGE OF THE PREPARED SURFACE OF THE RUNWAY. SUBSEQUENT TO IMPACT, THE AIRCRAFT SWERVED LEFT, DEPARTING THE PREPARED SURFACE AND PROCEEDING DOWN A TEN FOOT EMBANKME NT TOWARD A PINE TREE GROVE. UPON ENTERING THE GROVE, BOTH WINGS IMPACTED SEVERAL MATURE PINE TREES, BRINGING THE AIRCRAFT TO AN IMMEDIATE HALT WHILE SUSTAINING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO BOTH WINGS AND THE LANDING GEAR UNDERCARRIAGE. ONLY MINOR INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED BY THE PILOT AND NO PASSENGERS WERE ON BOARD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.