What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The airman was making an approach to a 700 foot grass strip on the banks of the adroscoggin river in Turner, Maine. This strip is located with the seaplane base at twitchells airport (3B5) in Turner, Maine. The strip has been used for many years as a way to deliver aircraft to the seaplane base to have floats installed for seaplane operations. This pilot has made this landing many times. The approach is over the water and the pilot stated that he developed a sink rate that he could not arrest with power application. The aircraft landing gear struck the riverbank 5-6 inches below the runway surface. The gear came off and struck the horizontal stabilizer. The airplane skidded straight ahead and came to rest upright.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE AIRMAN WAS MAKING AN APPROACH TO A 700 FOOT GRASS STRIP ON THE BANKS OF THE ADROSCOGGIN RIVER IN TURNER, MAINE. THIS STRIP IS LOCATED WITH THE SEAPLANE BASE AT TWITCHELLS AIRPORT (3B5) IN TURNER, MAINE. THE STRIP HAS BEEN USED FOR MANY YEARS AS A WAY TO DELIVER AIRCRAFT TO THE SEAPLANE BASE TO HAVE FLOATS INSTALLED FOR SEAPLANE OPERATIONS. THIS PILOT HAS MADE THIS LANDING MANY TIMES. THE APPROACH IS OVER THE WATER AND THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DEVELOPED A SINK RATE THAT HE COULD NOT ARREST WITH POWER APPLICATION. THE AIRCRAFT LANDING GEAR STRUCK THE RIVERBANK 5-6 INCHES BELOW THE RUNWAY SURFACE. THE GEAR CAME OFF AND STRUCK THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. THE AIRPLANE SKIDDED STRAIGHT AHEAD AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.