What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) (Pilot was out of town on 11/12/02 till 11/26/02). Pilot fly's for f & w, no prior accidents/incidents. Has cabin on a beach 6 miles south east of larsen bay. He said the approach he had to use comes over a high cliff and has two trees, 60' tall that are in line. After crossing the second tree, drop power and settle to the beach to land. He was doing a left base and when he saw the tree pass under the aircraft, he thought that was the second tree and pulled the power back. Almost immediately the aircraft was into the second tree top. When he saw the mistake it was too late. After passing through the top of the tree the pilot could see left wing damage, but was able to make a normal landing. After getting on the ground he found the prop and left strut were also damaged. He has landed on this beach a hundred times.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) (PILOT WAS OUT OF TOWN ON 11/12/02 TILL 11/26/02). PILOT FLY'S FOR F & W, NO PRIOR ACCIDENTS/INCIDENTS. HAS CABIN ON A BEACH 6 MILES SOUTH EAST OF LARSEN BAY. HE SAID THE APPROACH HE HAD TO USE COMES OVER A HIGH CLIFF AND HAS TWO TREES, 60' TALL THAT ARE IN LINE. AFTER CROSSING THE SECOND TREE, DROP POWER AND SETTLE TO THE BEACH TO LAND. HE WAS DOING A LEFT BASE AND WHEN HE SAW THE TREE PASS UNDER THE AIRCRAFT, HE THOUGHT THAT WAS THE SECOND TREE AND PULLED THE POWER BACK. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THE AIRCRAFT WAS INTO THE SECOND TREE TOP. WHEN HE SAW THE MISTAKE IT WAS TOO LATE. AFTER PASSING THROUGH THE TOP OF THE TREE THE PILOT COULD SEE LEFT WING DAMAGE, BUT WAS ABLE TO MAKE A NORMAL LANDING. AFTER GETTING ON THE GROUND HE FOUND THE PROP AND LEFT STRUT WERE ALSO DAMAGED. HE HAS LANDED ON THIS BEACH A HUNDRED TIMES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.