What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The aircraft was under contract to blm for firefighting. The pilot was part of a firefighting effort in high winds in mountainous terrain. The pilot dropped fire retardant on west side of ridge and continued over the ridge peak and down the east side. The aircraft was unable to climb above the subsequent lower ridge. The aircraft then struck that ridge approximately 45 feet from the top and slid 115 feet to the peak. Aircraft was substantially damaged. The pilot received minor injuries.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNDER CONTRACT TO BLM FOR FIREFIGHTING. THE PILOT WAS PART OF A FIREFIGHTING EFFORT IN HIGH WINDS IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE PILOT DROPPED FIRE RETARDANT ON WEST SIDE OF RIDGE AND CONTINUED OVER THE RIDGE PEAK AND DOWN THE EAST SIDE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB ABOVE THE SUBSEQUENT LOWER RIDGE. THE AIRCRAFT THEN STRUCK THAT RIDGE APPROXIMATELY 45 FEET FROM THE TOP AND SLID 115 FEET TO THE PEAK. AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N7077N · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.