What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot was landing on sand bar in middle of Toutle river and said he was too fast on approach and had to brake too hard on last stage of rollout to stop short of rocks. Aircraft rolled over on its back, sustained substantial damage to wings, propeller, rudder, and windshield. Pilot admitted not setting up landing approach carefully enough and carrying 10 or 15 mph more than usual for short off field landing. He then had to use brakes too hard at last stage of rollout to avoid rocks in sand bar and rolled aircraft over on its back because of miscalculating roll out distance. New propeller was installed while on sandbar and aircraft flown to river bank race track 1/4 mile away for disassembly prior to release by NTSB and arrival of FAA on scene.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT WAS LANDING ON SAND BAR IN MIDDLE OF TOUTLE RIVER AND SAID HE WAS TOO FAST ON APPROACH AND HAD TO BRAKE TOO HARD ON LAST STAGE OF ROLLOUT TO STOP SHORT OF ROCKS. AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER ON ITS BACK, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO WINGS, PROPELLER, RUDDER, AND WINDSHIELD. PILOT ADMITTED NOT SETTING UP LANDING APPROACH CAREFULLY ENOUGH AND CARRYING 10 OR 15 MPH MORE THAN USUAL FOR SHORT OFF FIELD LANDING. HE THEN HAD TO USE BRAKES TOO HARD AT LAST STAGE OF ROLLOUT TO AVOID ROCKS IN SAND BAR AND ROLLED AIRCRAFT OVER ON ITS BACK BECAUSE OF MISCALCULATING ROLL OUT DISTANCE. NEW PROPELLER WAS INSTALLED WHILE ON SANDBAR AND AIRCRAFT FLOWN TO RIVER BANK RACE TRACK 1/4 MILE AWAY FOR DISASSEMBLY PRIOR TO RELEASE BY NTSB AND ARRIVAL OF FAA ON SCENE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.