What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Flight from merrill field to polly creek on west side of cook inlet opposite of kenai. Landed to south on beach W/5-15 gusty tailwind in light steady rain. Ground looped just before stopped. Before landing pilot observed an aircraft parked at end of landing area and perceived that aircraft had landed shortly before. The pilot privacy data omitted used this information to determine landing direction. Damage: LH wing tip upper and lower skin wrinkled about 2' inboard. Aileron cove and leading edge stress cracks. LH elevator tip damage. LH wheel gar aero adapter separated from wheel half.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) FLIGHT FROM MERRILL FIELD TO POLLY CREEK ON WEST SIDE OF COOK INLET OPPOSITE OF KENAI. LANDED TO SOUTH ON BEACH W/5-15 GUSTY TAILWIND IN LIGHT STEADY RAIN. GROUND LOOPED JUST BEFORE STOPPED. BEFORE LANDING PILOT OBSERVED AN AIRCRAFT PARKED AT END OF LANDING AREA AND PERCEIVED THAT AIRCRAFT HAD LANDED SHORTLY BEFORE. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DAT^ USED THIS INFORMATION TO DETERMINE LANDING DIRECTION. DAMAGE: LH WING TIP UPPER AND LOWER SKIN WRINKLED ABOUT 2' INBOARD. AILERON COVE AND LEADING EDGE STRESS CRACKS. LH ELEVATOR TIP DAMAGE. LH WHEEL GAR AERO ADAPTER SEPARATED FROM WHEEL HALF.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.