What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot was just prior to touching down when passenger in front seat activated the spoilers. This reduced the lift, causing the aircraft to land hard. At this point, the passenger released the spoiler control, allowing them to retract. The aircraft rose to an altitude of approximately 20 feet, at which time the passenger again activated the spoilers, reducing the lift and causing the aircraft to land hard enough to collapse the left main gear. The airplane then veered off towards the left side of the runway, striking a tree wiht the left wing. The left wing fuel cell was ruptured and the iarcraft came to rest on a ditch in a nose-down attitude. All three occupants exited the aircraft without further incident.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT WAS JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHING DOWN WHEN PASSENGER IN FRONT SEAT ACTIVATED THE SPOILERS. THIS REDUCED THE LIFT, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO LAND HARD. AT THIS POINT, THE PASSENGER RELEASED THE SPOILER CONTROL, ALLOWING THEM TO RETRACT. THE AIRCRAFT ROSE TO AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET, AT WHICH TIME THE PASSENGER AGAIN ACTIVATED THE SPOILERS, REDUCING THE LIFT AND CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO LAND HARD ENOUGH TO COLLAPSE THE LEFT MAIN GEAR. THE AIRPLANE THEN VEERED OFF TOWARDS THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, STRIKING A TREE WIHT THE LEFT WING. THE LEFT WING FUEL CELL WAS RUPTURED AND THE IARCRAFT CAME TO REST ON A DITCH IN A NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE. ALL THREE OCCUPANTS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.