What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft departed Valdez, AK at 1700 l with one person on board and flew 14 miles s.e. to the head of browns creek to practice off field landings on a gravel bar at about 2000 ft MSL. After several landings, the pilot stated he was slipping the aircraft over an obstacle on the approach path and felt that the wind, which was less than ten knots in his estimation, switched from a headwind to a tailwind. The aircraft descended rapidly and struck a mound about 200 feet short of intended touchdown point. The impact with the mound damaged the main landing gear which subsequently collapsed and the aircraft came to rest on the gravel bar with substantial damage. The pilot was not injured in the accident.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT DEPARTED VALDEZ, AK AT 1700 L WITH ONE PERSON ON BOARD AND FLEW 14 MILES S.E. TO THE HEAD OF BROWNS CREEK TO PRACTICE OFF FIELD LANDINGS ON A GRAVEL BAR AT ABOUT 2000 FT MSL. AFTER SEVERAL LANDINGS, THE PILOT STATED HE WAS SLIPPING THE AIRCRAFT OVER AN OBSTACLE ON THE APPROACH PATH AND FELT THAT THE WIND, WHICH WAS LESS THAN TEN KNOTS IN HIS ESTIMATION, SWITCHED FROM A HEADWIND TO A TAILWIND. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED RAPIDLY AND STRUCK A MOUND ABOUT 200 FEET SHORT OF INTENDED TOUCHDOWN POINT. THE IMPACT WITH THE MOUND DAMAGED THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON THE GRAVEL BAR WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.