What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot privacy data omitted departed an unnamed lake southwest of lake Iliamna, in light blowing snow. His hunting partner followed in a PA-14. At approximately 16 miles from Iliamna airport, the pilot's privacy data omitted 65HP Taylorcraft started losing power. Applying carburetor heat had little effect. He decided to leave the lake shoreline of lake Iliamna and fly a more direct route to Iliamna airport. Flying at about 900 feet, still losing power, he realized he had flown into a bowl with rising terrain. With a wind of 15-20 knots, he was forced to turn left downwind as the aircraft did not have enough power to clear a ridge to his right. Consequently the aircraft was pushed down and at about 15 feet above ground it stalled and crashed. The aircraft sustained major damage but the pilot was able to exit the wreck with minor injuries.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DAT^ DEPARTED AN UNNAMED LAKE SOUTHWEST OF LAKE ILIAMNA, IN LIGHT BLOWING SNOW. HIS HUNTING PARTNER FOLLOWED IN A PA-14. AT APPROXIMATELY 16 MILES FROM ILIAMNA AIRPORT, THE PILOT'S ^PRIVACY DAT^ 65HP TAYLORCRAFT STARTED LOSING POWER. APPLYING CARBURETOR HEAT HAD LITTLE EFFECT. HE DECIDED TO LEAVE THE LAKE SHORELINE OF LAKE ILIAMNA AND FLY A MORE DIRECT ROUTE TO ILIAMNA AIRPORT. FLYING AT ABOUT 900 FEET, STILL LOSING POWER, HE REALIZED HE HAD FLOWN INTO A BOWL WITH RISING TERRAIN. WITH A WIND OF 15-20 KNOTS, HE WAS FORCED TO TURN LEFT DOWNWIND AS THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO CLEAR A RIDGE TO HIS RIGHT. CONSEQUENTLY THE AIRCRAFT WAS PUSHED DOWN AND AT ABOUT 15 FEET ABOVE GROUND IT STALLED AND CRASHED. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE BUT THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE WRECK WITH 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.