What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot departed the Goldfield Airport on runway 35, while taxiing the pilot estimated calm wind conditions, and an outside temperature of 81 degrees fahrenheit. Airport elevation is 5680 feet MSL, and all runways are hard packed gravel. Runway 35 has a 1.7% upgrade and is 3150 feet long. Performance charts indicate a density altitude of approximately 8,000 feet. The pilot stated that power/performance was good during the take-off roll, and that he rotated at 60-65 KTS. Utilizing 10 degrees of flaps. Once a positive rate of climb was established, the flaps were retracted. At approximately 100 feet AGL, and at an airspeed of 65 KTS, or greater, the aircraft was struck by a strong gust from the right side. This caused the aircraft to roll left and simultaneously slowed the aircraft down. At this point there was a complete loss of flight control and the aircraft impacted upon a dry lake bed, sliding too, and comint to rest upon an embankment. Note: upon post accident photo review, flaps were noted in the full down 30 degree position.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT DEPARTED THE GOLDFIELD AIRPORT ON RUNWAY 35, WHILE TAXIING THE PILOT ESTIMATED CALM WIND CONDITIONS, AND AN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE OF 81 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. AIRPORT ELEVATION IS 5680 FEET MSL, AND ALL RUNWAYS ARE HARD PACKED GRAVEL. RUNWAY 35 HAS A 1.7% UPGRADE AND IS 3150 FEET LONG. PERFORMANCE CHARTS INDICATE A DENSITY ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 8,000 FEET. THE PILOT STATED THAT POWER/PERFORMANCE WAS GOOD DURING THE TAKE-OFF ROLL, AND THAT HE ROTATED AT 60-65 KTS. UTILIZING 10 DEGREES OF FLAPS. ONCE A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB WAS ESTABLISHED, THE FLAPS WERE RETRACTED. AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AGL, AND AT AN AIRSPEED OF 65 KTS, OR GREATER, THE AIRCRAFT WAS STRUCK BY A STRONG GUST FROM THE RIGHT SIDE. THIS CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO ROLL LEFT AND SIMULTANEOUSLY SLOWED THE AIRCRAFT DOWN. AT THIS POINT THERE WAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF FLIGHT CONTROL AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED UPON A DRY LAKE BED, SLIDING TOO, AND COMINT TO REST UPON AN EMBANKMENT. NOTE: UPON POST ACCIDENT PHOTO REVIEW, FLAPS WERE NOTED IN THE FULL DOWN 30 DEGREE POSITION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.