What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft landed short of runway 30 at the Caldwell, Idaho airport in a very soft field. Although the aircraft remained upright, the landing gear sunk deep into the mud and caused substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The aircraft had departed tonopah, Nevada at 0900 and operated for four hours on a cross country flight to Caldwell. The pilot stated that he had greather than forecast headwinds. The pilot also said that he had attempted to fly to Caldwell on the day before this flight but had been forced to turn back due to weather. That flight had lasted for 45 minutes and he had not refueled the aircraft prior to making the second flight. An FAA inspector happened to be at the Caldwell airport when this accident occurred. The inspector checked the aircraft fuel tanks and found very little evidence that any fuel was remaining.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT LANDED SHORT OF RUNWAY 30 AT THE CALDWELL, IDAHO AIRPORT IN A VERY SOFT FIELD. ALTHOUGH THE AIRCRAFT REMAINED UPRIGHT, THE LANDING GEAR SUNK DEEP INTO THE MUD AND CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE WINGS AND FUSELAGE. THE AIRCRAFT HAD DEPARTED TONOPAH, NEVADA AT 0900 AND OPERATED FOR FOUR HOURS ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT TO CALDWELL. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD GREATHER THAN FORECAST HEADWINDS. THE PILOT ALSO SAID THAT HE HAD ATTEMPTED TO FLY TO CALDWELL ON THE DAY BEFORE THIS FLIGHT BUT HAD BEEN FORCED TO TURN BACK DUE TO WEATHER. THAT FLIGHT HAD LASTED FOR 45 MINUTES AND HE HAD NOT REFUELED THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO MAKING THE SECOND FLIGHT. AN FAA INSPECTOR HAPPENED TO BE AT THE CALDWELL AIRPORT WHEN THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE INSPECTOR CHECKED THE AIRCRAFT FUEL TANKS AND FOUND VERY LITTLE EVIDENCE THAT ANY FUEL WAS REMAINING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.