What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On September 3, 1999, about 1130 pacific daylight time, a schwarzler kolb mark 3, N8979, registered to a private owner, and operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR part 91 personal/pleasure flight, was substantially damaged while landing at Independence State Airport, Independence, Oregon. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was uninjured. The flight originated from Independence approximately 30 minutes prior to the accident. There was no fire, and no report of ELT activation. The pilot stated he was on final approach for runway 34 when the aircraft drifted left of centerline. The pilot was unable to correct and the aircraft touched down in a grassy area adjacent to the runway. The aircraft came to rest east of the runway. The aircraft sustained damage to the left wing, left wing strut and left main landing gear. (-23)pilot was conducting his first familiarization flight on a homebuilt aircraft in the local pattern. Weather was VFR, winds light and variable. During landing, the aircraft drifted left of centerline, the left wing dipp ed and struck the ground. Aircraft ground looped and came to rest beside the runway. Pilot was not injured. Damage to the structural member which attaches to landing gear and wing spar was substantial.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON SEPTEMBER 3, 1999, ABOUT 1130 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A SCHWARZLER KOLB MARK 3, N8979, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE OWNER, AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT AS A 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL/PLEASURE FLIGHT, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHILE LANDING AT INDEPENDENCE STATE AIRPORT, INDEPENDENCE, OREGON. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT. THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS UNINJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM INDEPENDENCE APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THERE WAS NO FIRE, AND NO REPORT OF ELT ACTIVATION. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS ON FINAL APPROACH FOR RUNWAY 34 WHEN THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED LEFT OF CENTERLINE. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT AND THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN IN A GRASSY AREA ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST EAST OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING, LEFT WING STRUT AND LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR. (-23)PILOT WAS CONDUCTING HIS FIRST FAMILIARIZATION FLIGHT ON A HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT IN THE LOCAL PATTERN. WEATHER WAS VFR, WINDS LIGHT AND VARIABLE. DURING LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED LEFT OF CENTERLINE, THE LEFT WING DIPP ED AND STRUCK THE GROUND. AIRCRAFT GROUND LOOPED AND CAME TO REST BESIDE THE RUNWAY. PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. DAMAGE TO THE STRUCTURAL MEMBER WHICH ATTACHES TO LANDING GEAR AND WING SPAR WAS SUBSTANTIAL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.