What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Mr. Thornburg ran out of fuel enroute from olympia to chehalis, he then attempted to make a landing at scatter Creek airport which is a private airport. On final approach Mr. Thornburg felt he had too much airspeed and deployed the spoilers to full which increased his sink rate, so he retracted to 3/4, at which time the sink rate decreased. Mr. Thornburg then attempted to land but each flarer the aircraft ballooned back up in the air. At this point he felt that the end of the runway was too close and made a left turn to an open field. During the left turn the aircraft's right wing struck a small fir tree which turned the aircraft 180 degrees and struck three (3) metal fence posts causing substantial damage to the right wing and breaking the spar.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) MR. THORNBURG RAN OUT OF FUEL ENROUTE FROM OLYMPIA TO CHEHALIS, HE THEN ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A LANDING AT SCATTER CREEK AIRPORT WHICH IS A PRIVATE AIRPORT. ON FINAL APPROACH MR. THORNBURG FELT HE HAD TOO MUCH AIRSPEED AND DEPLOYED THE SPOILERS TO FULL WHICH INCREASED HIS SINK RATE, SO HE RETRACTED TO 3/4, AT WHICH TIME THE SINK RATE DECREASED. MR. THORNBURG THEN ATTEMPTED TO LAND BUT EACH FLARER THE AIRCRAFT BALLOONED BACK UP IN THE AIR. AT THIS POINT HE FELT THAT THE END OF THE RUNWAY WAS TOO CLOSE AND MADE A LEFT TURN TO AN OPEN FIELD. DURING THE LEFT TURN THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT WING STRUCK A SMALL FIR TREE WHICH TURNED THE AIRCRAFT 180 DEGREES AND STRUCK THREE (3) METAL FENCE POSTS CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING AND BREAKING THE SPAR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.