What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) "On Tuesday, August 1, 2006 I took off from pierce aviation about 4:25 pm. I flew about 6 miles west to palo verde, at about 4:30 pm I lost elevator control as pin came out of joy stick. I was about 150 to 200 feet from ground. Nose started to drop as the aircraft trimmed a little nose down. Too low to try a turn to line up with borders on my left. Best option straight ahead, although I would be landing across the borders. Cement ditch coming up fast, so applied full throttle to clear the ditch, which I did, landing just inside the alfalfa field. Landing going great until I wiped out the landing gear on the border. Plane slid upright to a stop." The above is the written statement from the pilot as provided via us mail.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) "ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 1, 2006 I TOOK OFF FROM PIERCE AVIATION ABOUT 4:25 PM. I FLEW ABOUT 6 MILES WEST TO PALO VERDE, AT ABOUT 4:30 PM I LOST ELEVATOR CONTROL AS PIN CAME OUT OF JOY STICK. I WAS ABOUT 150 TO 200 FEET FROM GROUND. NOSE STARTED TO DROP AS THE AIRCRAFT TRIMMED A LITTLE NOSE DOWN. TOO LOW TO TRY A TURN TO LINE UP WITH BORDERS ON MY LEFT. BEST OPTION STRAIGHT AHEAD, ALTHOUGH I WOULD BE LANDING ACROSS THE BORDERS. CEMENT DITCH COMING UP FAST, SO APPLIED FULL THROTTLE TO CLEAR THE DITCH, WHICH I DID, LANDING JUST INSIDE THE ALFALFA FIELD. LANDING GOING GREAT UNTIL I WIPED OUT THE LANDING GEAR ON THE BORDER. PLANE SLID UPRIGHT TO A STOP." THE ABOVE IS THE WRITTEN STATEMENT FROM THE PILOT AS PROVIDED VIA US MAIL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.