What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot was landing on a grass runway in a pasture field at approximately 6,200 feet MSL. Pilot had applied full flaps in preparation for landing when he elected to go around because of livestock near the landing area. Full power was applied but the aircraft was unable to climb. The landing was continued with the aircraft touching down in an uncontrolled manner scraping the right wing tip, and ground looping to the left. During the ground loop the left wing was dragged on the ground breaking the wing spar. Landing with an estimated 5 knot tail wind contributed to the loss of control after touchdown. The pilot had previously operated the aircraft mainly at sea level altitudes and did not adequately plan for the aircraft's lack of climb performance at the 1,200 feet MSL landing site.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT WAS LANDING ON A GRASS RUNWAY IN A PASTURE FIELD AT APPROXIMATELY 6,200 FEET MSL. PILOT HAD APPLIED FULL FLAPS IN PREPARATION FOR LANDING WHEN HE ELECTED TO GO AROUND BECAUSE OF LIVESTOCK NEAR THE LANDING AREA. FULL POWER WAS APPLIED BUT THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB. THE LANDING WAS CONTINUED WITH THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHING DOWN IN AN UNCONTROLLED MANNER SCRAPING THE RIGHT WING TIP, AND GROUND LOOPING TO THE LEFT. DURING THE GROUND LOOP THE LEFT WING WAS DRAGGED ON THE GROUND BREAKING THE WING SPAR. LANDING WITH AN ESTIMATED 5 KNOT TAIL WIND CONTRIBUTED TO THE LOSS OF CONTROL AFTER TOUCHDOWN. THE PILOT HAD PREVIOUSLY OPERATED THE AIRCRAFT MAINLY AT SEA LEVEL ALTITUDES AND DID NOT ADEQUATELY PLAN FOR THE AIRCRAFT'S LACK OF CLIMB PERFORMANCE AT THE 1,200 FEET MSL LANDING SITE.
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 N4055Z · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.