What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) After departing great falls (gtf), Montana, for poplar (42S), Montana, the pilot received a weather briefing from gtf flight service station for light to moderate turbulence below 15,000 feet. The blaine county undersheriff reported strong, gusty winds in the Chinook (S71), Montana, area at the time of the accident. The survivor stated the engine quit. The aircraft, N30921, contacted the top of a cottonwood tree while maneuvering for an emergency landing on a dirt county road. It contacted the hard-packed road 98 feet from the tree that was hit. The aircraft was in an approximate 40 degree nose-down angle when the propeller spinner contacted the road. The aircraft traveled 10 feet from impact marks before coming to rest. The cabin, cockpit, and inboard portions of both wings were consumed by a post-crash fire. See attached drawings for details.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AFTER DEPARTING GREAT FALLS (GTF), MONTANA, FOR POPLAR (42S), MONTANA, THE PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING FROM GTF FLIGHT SERVICE STATION FOR LIGHT TO MODERATE TURBULENCE BELOW 15,000 FEET. THE BLAINE COUNTY UNDERSHERIFF REPORTED STRONG, GUSTY WINDS IN THE CHINOOK (S71), MONTANA, AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE SURVIVOR STATED THE ENGINE QUIT. THE AIRCRAFT, N30921, CONTACTED THE TOP OF A COTTONWOOD TREE WHILE MANEUVERING FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A DIRT COUNTY ROAD. IT CONTACTED THE HARD-PACKED ROAD 98 FEET FROM THE TREE THAT WAS HIT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN AN APPROXIMATE 40 DEGREE NOSE-DOWN ANGLE WHEN THE PROPELLER SPINNER CONTACTED THE ROAD. THE AIRCRAFT TRAVELED 10 FEET FROM IMPACT MARKS BEFORE COMING TO REST. THE CABIN, COCKPIT, AND INBOARD PORTIONS OF BOTH WINGS WERE CONSUMED BY A POST-CRASH FIRE. SEE ATTACHED DRAWINGS FOR DETAILS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.