What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot and passenger were observing elk on the ground during the flight. Pilto was preoccupied wiht the ground observation and failed to properly manage the aircraft in flight, allowing the aircraft to contiue toward rising terrain with insufficient altitude. As a result the aircraft was maneuvered into rising, steep ravine, which was too narroe for course reversal, and too steep for the performance of the aircraft to overcome, resulting in the accident.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE OBSERVING ELK ON THE GROUND DURING THE FLIGHT. PILTO WAS PREOCCUPIED WIHT THE GROUND OBSERVATION AND FAILED TO PROPERLY MANAGE THE AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT, ALLOWING THE AIRCRAFT TO CONTIUE TOWARD RISING TERRAIN WITH INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE. AS A RESULT THE AIRCRAFT WAS MANEUVERED INTO RISING, STEEP RAVINE, WHICH WAS TOO NARROE FOR COURSE REVERSAL, AND TOO STEEP FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF THE AIRCRAFT TO OVERCOME, RESULTING IN THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.