What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
A video of the accident shows that the pilot made a low level pass out over a ridge. Aircraft power was increased and the aircraft gained some altitude as it approached the ridge. The pilot initiated a tight right hand turn. The tight right hand turn contributed to a pronounced loss of lift and the pendulum effect caused the aircraft to continue the right hand spiral past the intended flight path. The aircraft contacted the slope, in a nose down attitude, nose wheel first, prior to recovery from the turn. Witnesses say the pilot made this similar maneuver at least two times prior, reversing course and coming back over his original flight path.
As the FAA filed it
A VIDEO OF THE ACCIDENT SHOWS THAT THE PILOT MADE A LOW LEVEL PASS OUT OVER A RIDGE. AIRCRAFT POWER WAS INCREASED AND THE AIRCRAFT GAINED SOME ALTITUDE AS IT APPROACHED THE RIDGE. THE PILOT INITIATED A TIGHT RIGHT HAND TURN. THE TIGHT RIGHT HAND TURN CONTRIBUTED TO A PRONOUNCED LOSS OF LIFT AND THE PENDULUM EFFECT CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO CONTINUE THE RIGHT HAND SPIRAL PAST THE INTENDED FLIGHT PATH. THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE SLOPE, IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, NOSE WHEEL FIRST, PRIOR TO RECOVERY FROM THE TURN.WITNESSES SAY THE PILOT MADE THIS SIMILAR MANEUVER AT LEAST TWO TIMES PRIOR, REVERSING COURSE AND COMING BACK OVER HIS ORIGINAL FLIGHT PATH.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.