What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On November 27, 1998, approximately 1200 mountain standard time, a champion "citabria" 7ECA, N8306V, registered to and being operated by a commercial pilot, incurred substantial damage during an in-flight collision with trees while maneuvering in mountainous terrain approximately two miles east of Jardine, Montana. The pilot and passenger were uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight, which was personal and local, was to have been operated under 14 CFR91, and originated from gardiner, Montana, approximately 1100. The pilot reported that he and a friend were out elk spotting and had just cleared a pass with 500 feet of vertical clearance when he encountered turbulence and downdrafts. He executed a 180 degree course reversal but was then unable to climb back over the pass and so continued his turn through 360 degrees. The aircraft entered the tops of trees, wings level, damaging the left wing leading edge and right horizontal stabilizer. The pilot then flew the aircraft back to gardiner and landed. (-23)pilot stated that while he was flying the aircraft over mountainous terrain he encountered turbulence and downdrafts. The pilot tried to maneuve er the aircraft out of the turbulence and encountered downdrafts. The aircraft lost altitude and the aircraft came into contact with some trees. The pilot flew the aircraft back to gardiner, MT.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON NOVEMBER 27, 1998, APPROXIMATELY 1200 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A CHAMPION "CITABRIA" 7ECA, N8306V, REGISTERED TO AND BEING OPERATED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT, INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES WHILE MANEUVERING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY TWO MILES EAST OF JARDINE, MONTANA. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE UNINJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE FLIGHT, WHICH WAS PERSONAL AND LOCAL, WAS TO HAVE BEEN OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR91, AND ORIGINATED FROM GARDINER, MONTANA, APPROXIMATELY 1100. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE AND A FRIEND WERE OUT ELK SPOTTING AND HAD JUST CLEARED A PASS WITH 500 FEET OF VERTICAL CLEARANCE WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE AND DOWNDRAFTS. HE EXECUTED A 180 DEGREE COURSE REVERSAL BUT WAS THEN UNABLE TO CLIMB BACK OVER THE PASS AND SO CONTINUED HIS TURN THROUGH 360 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED THE TOPS OF TREES, WINGS LEVEL, DAMAGING THE LEFT WING LEADING EDGE AND RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. THE PILOT THEN FLEW THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO GARDINER AND LANDED. (-23)PILOT STATED THAT WHILE HE WAS FLYING THE AIRCRAFT OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN HE ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE AND DOWNDRAFTS. THE PILOT TRIED TO MANEUVE ER THE AIRCRAFT OUT OF THE TURBULENCE AND ENCOUNTERED DOWNDRAFTS. THE AIRCRAFT LOST ALTITUDE AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME INTO CONTACT WITH SOME TREES. THE PILOT FLEW THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO GARDINER, MT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.