What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) According to a witness, the aircraft was on approach for landing to the south and was correcting for a left crosswind. As the aircraft passed over the approach end of the runway, its approach path became unstable and it drifted right toward a stand of large trees. The engine power increased significantly just before touchdown, the nose pitched up and the aircraft began a steep climb. The right wing struck a 75 foot tall tree which pivoted the airplane to the right and it descended nose first into dense woods. The witness said that the winds had become gusty at the time of the attempted landing. Airman information will be updated when his logbooks are available.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON APPROACH FOR LANDING TO THE SOUTH AND WAS CORRECTING FOR A LEFT CROSSWIND. AS THE AIRCRAFT PASSED OVER THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY, ITS APPROACH PATH BECAME UNSTABLE AND IT DRIFTED RIGHT TOWARD A STAND OF LARGE TREES. THE ENGINE POWER INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE PITCHED UP AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A STEEP CLIMB. THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A 75 FOOT TALL TREE WHICH PIVOTED THE AIRPLANE TO THE RIGHT AND IT DESCENDED NOSE FIRST INTO DENSE WOODS. THE WITNESS SAID THAT THE WINDS HAD BECOME GUSTY AT THE TIME OF THE ATTEMPTED LANDING. AIRMAN INFORMATION WILL BE UPDATED WHEN HIS LOGBOOKS ARE AVAILABLE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.