What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) At approximately 9:00 am on August 31, 2002, private pilot henry stephen nelson flew N3184 over sandstone quarry parking lot in red rock canyon national recreation area at low altitude. He continued up a wash (westerly direction) for about three-quarters of a mile without gaining altitude and was caught in a downdraft. The aircraft's left wing struck the ground cartwheeling the aircraft, which landed upside down pointed the direction it had come from. The pilot and passenger were airlifted out.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AT APPROXIMATELY 9:00 AM ON AUGUST 31, 2002, PRIVATE PILOT HENRY STEPHEN NELSON FLEW N3184 OVER SANDSTONE QUARRY PARKING LOT IN RED ROCK CANYON NATIONAL RECREATION AREA AT LOW ALTITUDE. HE CONTINUED UP A WASH (WESTERLY DIRECTION) FOR ABOUT THREE-QUARTERS OF A MILE WITHOUT GAINING ALTITUDE AND WAS CAUGHT IN A DOWNDRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND CARTWHEELING THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH LANDED UPSIDE DOWN POINTED THE DIRECTION IT HAD COME FROM. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE AIRLIFTED OUT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N3184 · 4
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.