What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot departed st lucie county airport (fpr) at 15:47 local on a time building flight VFR. Computer weather breifing showed activity above melbourne; a front moving nw to NE, but all in "yellow" on radar. Worked 3000 ft above lake okeechobee with intent to return to fpr. Encountered difficult weather with thunderstorm activity blocking return. Diverted to the south and encountered gusting winds (15-28K) on approach for emergency landing at Belle Glade (X10). First approach could not allign to runway 9 centerline. After go-around, second attempt 20 degree flaps and full rudder, at 40-45 deg crab' gusting winds pushed nose down and aircraft impacted ground in sugar cane field approx 1000 ft north of runway. Wings struck, nose gear buckled under airspeed aprox 30KT; pilots seat broke from tracks; pilot suffered cut to left fore arm. Pilot shut down, egressed and treated by EMS on scene; aircraft substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT DEPARTED ST LUCIE COUNTY AIRPORT (FPR) AT 15:47 LOCAL ON A TIME BUILDING FLIGHT VFR. COMPUTER WEATHER BREIFING SHOWED ACTIVITY ABOVE MELBOURNE; A FRONT MOVING NW TO NE, BUT ALL IN "YELLOW" ON RADAR. WORKED 3000 FT ABOVE LAKE OKEECHOBEE WITH INTENT TO RETURN TO FPR. ENCOUNTERED DIFFICULT WEATHER WITH THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY BLOCKING RETURN. DIVERTED TO THE SOUTH AND ENCOUNTERED GUSTING WINDS (15-28K) ON APPROACH FOR EMERGENCY LANDING AT BELLE GLADE (X10). FIRST APPROACH COULD NOT ALLIGN TO RUNWAY 9 CENTERLINE. AFTER GO-AROUND, SECOND ATTEMPT 20 DEGREE FLAPS AND FULL RUDDER, AT 40-45 DEG CRAB' GUSTING WINDS PUSHED NOSE DOWN AND AIRCRAFT IMPACTED GROUND IN SUGAR CANE FIELD APPROX 1000 FT NORTH OF RUNWAY. WINGS STRUCK, NOSE GEAR BUCKLED UNDER AIRSPEED APROX 30KT; PILOTS SEAT BROKE FROM TRACKS; PILOT SUFFERED CUT TO LEFT FORE ARM. PILOT SHUT DOWN, EGRESSED AND TREATED BY EMS ON SCENE; AIRCRAFT SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.