What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Airman attempted a landing at an unimproved landing strip, that is considered a one way runway. While accounts vary as to how close the aircraft came to the runway, it is nonetheless clear that the aircraft did not actually land, but instead attempted a go-around, ultimately striking trees in rising terrain. It would not be a normal expectation to conduct a go-around in this direction at this airstrip. Collision with trees likely due to dimminished aircraft performance due to density altitude (estimated at approximately 4,700'), coupled with rising terrain and reduced climb angle over the ground, associated with the tailwind. Several witness accounts speak to significant wind on the water over which the final approach was flown. Per at least one statement, the wind was quite gusty, and from a southerly direction, which would provide a significant tailwind to and otherwise challenging approach.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRMAN ATTEMPTED A LANDING AT AN UNIMPROVED LANDING STRIP, THAT IS CONSIDERED A ONE WAY RUNWAY. WHILE ACCOUNTS VARY AS TO HOW CLOSE THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO THE RUNWAY, IT IS NONETHELESS CLEAR THAT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT ACTUALLY LAND, BUT INSTEAD ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND, ULTIMATELY STRIKING TREES IN RISING TERRAIN. IT WOULD NOT BE A NORMAL EXPECTATION TO CONDUCT A GO-AROUND IN THIS DIRECTION AT THIS AIRSTRIP. COLLISION WITH TREES LIKELY DUE TO DIMMINISHED AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE DUE TO DENSITY ALTITUDE (ESTIMATED AT APPROXIMATELY 4,700'), COUPLED WITH RISING TERRAIN AND REDUCED CLIMB ANGLE OVER THE GROUND, ASSOCIATED WITH THE TAILWIND. SEVERAL WITNESS ACCOUNTS SPEAK TO SIGNIFICANT WIND ON THE WATER OVER WHICH THE FINAL APPROACH WAS FLOWN. PER AT LEAST ONE STATEMENT, THE WIND WAS QUITE GUSTY, AND FROM A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE A SIGNIFICANT TAILWIND TO AND OTHERWISE CHALLENGING APPROACH.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.