What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Low pass to survey landing site. Collided with rising terrain on pullup. (.4) on may 31, 1998, about 2000 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N4587A, sustained substantial damage when it collided with terrain during a low pass over a potential landing site located about 20 miles northwest of Talkeetna, Alaska. The commercial pilot and the one passenger aboard were not injured. The 14 CFR part 91 personal flight departed Talkeetna about 1830. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed. During a telephone conversation with the NTSB investigator-in-charge on June 1, the pilot related he was taking one passenger to scout potential sites for a future rafting trip. On one low pass over a ridge top, the pilot said he miscalculated the pitch of the rising terrain. He said the airplane was unable to climb as rapidly as the rising terrain, and collided with a hillside. The pilot indicated there were no preimpact mechanical difficulties with the airplane. (-23) on may 31, 1998, a wheel equipped Piper PA-18 aircraft, N4587A, collided with rising terrain during a low pass while evaluating a landing site. Pilot stated he miscalculated the pitch of the rising terrain, and initiated his approach at too low an altitude. He also encountered an increasing sink rate as he neared the landing area. The pilot elected to apply power and land on the upslope below the landing area. The aircraft nosed over in the rough terrain when it encountered a snow bank. The aircraft skidded on its nose approximately 20 feet before stopping.
As the FAA filed it
LOW PASS TO SURVEY LANDING SITE. COLLIDED WITH RISING TERRAIN ON PULLUP. (.4) ON MAY 31, 1998, ABOUT 2000 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A TUNDRA TIRE EQUIPPED PIPER PA-18 AIRPLANE, N4587A, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING A LOW PASS OVER A POTENTIAL LANDING SITE LOCATED ABOUT 20 MILES NORTHWEST OF TALKEETNA, ALASKA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND THE ONE PASSENGER ABOARD WERE NOT INJURED. THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT DEPARTED TALKEETNA ABOUT 1830. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE ON JUNE 1, THE PILOT RELATED HE WAS TAKING ONE PASSENGER TO SCOUT POTENTIAL SITES FOR A FUTURE RAFTING TRIP. ON ONE LOW PASS OVER A RIDGE TOP, THE PILOT SAID HE MISCALCULATED THE PITCH OF THE RISING TERRAIN. HE SAID THE AIRPLANE WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB AS RAPIDLY AS THE RISING TERRAIN, AND COLLIDED WITH A HILLSIDE. THE PILOT INDICATED THERE WERE NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL DIFFICULTIES WITH THE AIRPLANE. (-23) ON MAY 31, 1998, A WHEEL EQUIPPED PIPER PA-18 AIRCRAFT, N4587A, COLLIDED WITH RISING TERRAIN DURING A LOW PASS WHILE EVALUATING A LANDING SITE. PILOT STATED HE MISCALCULATED THE PITCH OF THE RISING TERRAIN, AND INITIATED HIS APPROACH AT TOO LOW AN ALTITUDE. HE ALSO ENCOUNTERED AN INCREASING SINK RATE AS HE NEARED THE LANDING AREA. THE PILOT ELECTED TO APPLY POWER AND LAND ON THE UPSLOPE BELOW THE LANDING AREA. THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER IN THE ROUGH TERRAIN WHEN IT ENCOUNTERED A SNOW BANK. THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED ON ITS NOSE APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET BEFORE STOPPING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.