What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot's statement: I departed tall timbers with three passengers (about 400 pounds and 310 pounds of fuel) to locate and move a repeater they had placed the day before. It was near ruby, emerald, and pear lakes. Showers and low clouds (forecasted) prevented us from going directly to the area. After three attempts from different directions, we were able to get to that site. The first attempt there was too much slope to land and it was about thirty feet to southwest. The second attempt was on the same knoll that the repeater was. I landed but it was unstable so I decided to reposition. I was maneuvering slightly above effective translational lift at about 11,900 feet. I made a left orbit, as I was abeam the landing area I saw a level spot to land. I turned final and began an approach. I noticed to the left the trees were laying over (a very strong gust). Etl was lost, I attempted a pedal turn into the wind. At first the nose did not turn then it took off to the left I immediately applied right pedal to arrest the rate of turn and went to the stop. I simultaneously reduced power neutralized the pedals and applied forward cyclic. The rate of turn accelerated and pinned me back inthe seat. I do not believe we made two revolutions before impact. The aircraft struck the ground drifting the southeast right aft skid the tail boom and rolled on the right side. I rolled off the throttle turned off the battery and boost pumps, assisted the passengers out and disconnected the battery. We were in radio contact with tall timbers so I attempted to turn off the emergency locator transmitter but could only disconnect the antenna.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT'S STATEMENT: I DEPARTED TALL TIMBERS WITH THREE PASSENGERS (ABOUT 400 POUNDS AND 310 POUNDS OF FUEL) TO LOCATE AND MOVE A REPEATER THEY HAD PLACED THE DAY BEFORE. IT WAS NEAR RUBY, EMERALD, AND PEAR LAKES. SHOWERS AND LOW CLOUDS (FORECASTED) PREVENTED US FROM GOING DIRECTLY TO THE AREA. AFTER THREE ATTEMPTS FROM DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, WE WERE ABLE TO GET TO THAT SITE. THE FIRST ATTEMPT THERE WAS TOO MUCH SLOPE TO LAND AND IT WAS ABOUT THIRTY FEET TO SOUTHWEST. THE SECOND ATTEMPT WAS ON THE SAME KNOLL THAT THE REPEATER WAS. I LANDED BUT IT WAS UNSTABLE SO I DECIDED TO REPOSITION. I WAS MANEUVERING SLIGHTLY ABOVE EFFECTIVE TRANSLATIONAL LIFT AT ABOUT 11,900 FEET. I MADE A LEFT ORBIT, AS I WAS ABEAM THE LANDING AREA I SAW A LEVEL SPOT TO LAND. I TURNED FINAL AND BEGAN AN APPROACH. I NOTICED TO THE LEFT THE TREES WERE LAYING OVER (A VERY STRONG GUST). ETL WAS LOST, I ATTEMPTED A PEDAL TURN INTO THE WIND. AT FIRST THE NOSE DID NOT TURN THEN IT TOOK OFF TO THE LEFT I IMMEDIATELY APPLIED RIGHT PEDAL TO ARREST THE RATE OF TURN AND WENT TO THE STOP. I SIMULTANEOUSLY REDUCED POWER NEUTRALIZED THE PEDALS AND APPLIED FORWARD CYCLIC. THE RATE OF TURN ACCELERATED AND PINNED ME BACK INTHE SEAT. I DO NOT BELIEVE WE MADE TWO REVOLUTIONS BEFORE IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND DRIFTING THE SOUTHEAST RIGHT AFT SKID THE TAIL BOOM AND ROLLED ON THE RIGHT SIDE. I ROLLED OFF THE THROTTLE TURNED OFF THE BATTERY AND BOOST PUMPS, ASSISTED THE PASSENGERS OUT AND DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY. WE WERE IN RADIO CONTACT WITH TALL TIMBERS SO I ATTEMPTED TO TURN OFF THE EMERGENCY LOCATOR TRANSMITTER BUT COULD ONLY DISCONNECT THE ANTENNA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.