What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot was flying in the mountains on the south side of a steep draw. He decided that he did not have enough altitude so he turned left to get out of the draw. The aircraft encountered a downdraft caused by the strong winds and lost altitude. The aircraft hit the north side of the draw hard. The right main gear broke off, left gear was hanging lose, vertical stabilizer and rudder were damaged, the prop was bent, left wing struts were severely bent and both wings sustained damage.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT WAS FLYING IN THE MOUNTAINS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF A STEEP DRAW. HE DECIDED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ALTITUDE SO HE TURNED LEFT TO GET OUT OF THE DRAW. THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT CAUSED BY THE STRONG WINDS AND LOST ALTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE NORTH SIDE OF THE DRAW HARD. THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR BROKE OFF, LEFT GEAR WAS HANGING LOSE, VERTICAL STABILIZER AND RUDDER WERE DAMAGED, THE PROP WAS BENT, LEFT WING STRUTS WERE SEVERELY BENT AND BOTH WINGS SUSTAINED DAMAGE.
Other reports on N11698 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.