What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft enroute westbound along russian river towards casini ranch, late in the afternoon, during hazy conditions. Large flock of birds flew in front of aircraft. Pilot pitched aircraft down to clear birds and struck power lines which spanned entire width of canyon. After wire strike, aircraft was in nose down attitude at which point pilot decided to execute an emergency landing as soon as possible. With a bridge immediately in front of aircraft, pilot chose to fly under bridge to expedite landing the aircraft. During landing approach, aircraft struck a second set of wires prior to successfully landing on sand bar.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT ENROUTE WESTBOUND ALONG RUSSIAN RIVER TOWARDS CASINI RANCH, LATE IN THE AFTERNOON, DURING HAZY CONDITIONS. LARGE FLOCK OF BIRDS FLEW IN FRONT OF AIRCRAFT. PILOT PITCHED AIRCRAFT DOWN TO CLEAR BIRDS AND STRUCK POWER LINES WHICH SPANNED ENTIRE WIDTH OF CANYON. AFTER WIRE STRIKE, AIRCRAFT WAS IN NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AT WHICH POINT PILOT DECIDED TO EXECUTE AN EMERGENCY LANDING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WITH A BRIDGE IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OF AIRCRAFT, PILOT CHOSE TO FLY UNDER BRIDGE TO EXPEDITE LANDING THE AIRCRAFT. DURING LANDING APPROACH, AIRCRAFT STRUCK A SECOND SET OF WIRES PRIOR TO SUCCESSFULLY LANDING ON SAND BAR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.