What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot's solo takeoff was from a grass landing strip on the elk head ranch, 20 miles north of hayden, Colorado, at approximately 0920 on sept. 3, 2004. There was no weather reported in the area except for occasional gusty winds. The flight was approximately 25 minutes in duration to determine cattle location on the ranch. The first westerly approach resulted in a go-around due to gusting crosswinds on the ranch's grass east-west strip. Another attempt for a west-east approach was also aborted due to gusting crosswinds. The final approach was an east-west approach. Upon landing roll out, a strong se gust of wind caught the aircraft and lifted it airborne. There was not sufficient time to power up for a go-around, so the aircraft was put on the ground and the craft was turned to the left to avoid the end of the runway where a deep ditch was located. After the aircraft left the runway, the brakes were applied to avoid a tree line. The aircraft's landing gear contacted a burrow and flipped over on its top. There were no injuries. One prop was bent, the engine was pressed to the firewall and both wings and the tail section had substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT'S SOLO TAKEOFF WAS FROM A GRASS LANDING STRIP ON THE ELK HEAD RANCH, 20 MILES NORTH OF HAYDEN, COLORADO, AT APPROXIMATELY 0920 ON SEPT. 3, 2004. THERE WAS NO WEATHER REPORTED IN THE AREA EXCEPT FOR OCCASIONAL GUSTY WINDS. THE FLIGHT WAS APPROXIMATELY 25 MINUTES IN DURATION TO DETERMINE CATTLE LOCATION ON THE RANCH. THE FIRST WESTERLY APPROACH RESULTED IN A GO-AROUND DUE TO GUSTING CROSSWINDS ON THE RANCH'S GRASS EAST-WEST STRIP. ANOTHER ATTEMPT FOR A WEST-EAST APPROACH WAS ALSO ABORTED DUE TO GUSTING CROSSWINDS. THE FINAL APPROACH WAS AN EAST-WEST APPROACH. UPON LANDING ROLL OUT, A STRONG SE GUST OF WIND CAUGHT THE AIRCRAFT AND LIFTED IT AIRBORNE. THERE WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TIME TO POWER UP FOR A GO-AROUND, SO THE AIRCRAFT WAS PUT ON THE GROUND AND THE CRAFT WAS TURNED TO THE LEFT TO AVOID THE END OF THE RUNWAY WHERE A DEEP DITCH WAS LOCATED. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT LEFT THE RUNWAY, THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED TO AVOID A TREE LINE. THE AIRCRAFT'S LANDING GEAR CONTACTED A BURROW AND FLIPPED OVER ON ITS TOP. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. ONE PROP WAS BENT, THE ENGINE WAS PRESSED TO THE FIREWALL AND BOTH WINGS AND THE TAIL SECTION HAD SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.