What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Flying NE over Huntsville, UT following a canyon valley towards bear lake still in climb following the nw side of valley, at approx 3 miles from crest the aircraft the rate of climb slowed then reversed. The pilot reacted by shifting travel to other side of valley which caused the descent to increase. At this point pilot decided to follow the upslope of the valley anticipating having to make a forced landing. As the acft made initial contact with terrain it struck a tree with the left wing and flipped over.
As the FAA filed it
FLYING NE OVER HUNTSVILLE, UT FOLLOWING A CANYON VALLEY TOWARDS BEAR LAKE STILL IN CLIMB FOLLOWING THE NW SIDE OF VALLEY, AT APPROX 3 MILES FROM CREST THE AIRCRAFT THE RATE OF CLIMB SLOWED THEN REVERSED. THE PILOT REACTED BY SHIFTING TRAVEL TO OTHER SIDE OF VALLEY WHICH CAUSED THE DESCENT TO INCREASE. AT THIS POINT PILOT DECIDED TO FOLLOW THE UPSLOPE OF THE VALLEY ANTICIPATING HAVING TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING. AS THE ACFT MADE INITIAL CONTACT WITH TERRAIN IT STRUCK A TREE WITH THE LEFT WING AND FLIPPED OVER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.