What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23)On June 12, 2009 at approximately 1655 CDT, N391C, an Aviat aircraft inc. husky model A-1A, was attempting to land at a private strip on the san jancinto ranch located about 50 miles south of Marfa, Texas. As the pilot decreased the power to idle and applied flaps to attempt a 3-point landing, he felt a large gust of wind like a whirlwind or updraft, at the tail of the plane. This caused the plane to bounce, which extended the landing beyond a safe point. When the wheels touched down again, he applied the brakes which forced the tail up. The plane did not slow down enough to execute a full stop. He could not do a go-around because there was not enough runway left to make it over the power line at the end of the runway. He applied full brakes causing the nose to dive into the ground and flipped the aircraft over on its back. The aircraft came to halt approximately 90 feet from the end of the runway, he released his safety belt and crawled out the door. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the pilot sustained no injuries. The flight originated at Marfa, Texas.
As the FAA filed it
(-23)ON JUNE 12, 2009 AT APPROXIMATELY 1655 CDT, N391C, AN AVIAT AIRCRAFT INC. HUSKY MODEL A-1A, WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND AT A PRIVATE STRIP ON THE SAN JANCINTO RANCH LOCATED ABOUT 50 MILES SOUTH OF MARFA, TEXAS. AS THE PILOT DECREASED THE POWER TO IDLE AND APPLIED FLAPS TO ATTEMPT A 3-POINT LANDING, HE FELT A LARGE GUST OF WIND LIKE A WHIRLWIND OR UPDRAFT, AT THE TAIL OF THE PLANE. THIS CAUSED THE PLANE TO BOUNCE, WHICH EXTENDED THE LANDING BEYOND A SAFE POINT. WHEN THE WHEELS TOUCHED DOWN AGAIN, HE APPLIED THE BRAKES WHICH FORCED THE TAIL UP. THE PLANE DID NOT SLOW DOWN ENOUGH TO EXECUTE A FULL STOP. HE COULD NOT DO A GO-AROUND BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH RUNWAY LEFT TO MAKE IT OVER THE POWER LINE AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. HE APPLIED FULL BRAKES CAUSING THE NOSE TO DIVE INTO THE GROUND AND FLIPPED THE AIRCRAFT OVER ON ITS BACK. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO HALT APPROXIMATELY 90 FEET FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY, HE RELEASED HIS SAFETY BELT AND CRAWLED OUT THE DOOR. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE PILOT SUSTAINED NO INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT MARFA, TEXAS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.