What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot reported that he was at a climb speed of about 100 mph. At about 30 seconds before impact the aircraft was hit with a down draft that basically stopped his climb. The aircraft was hit by a second and a third downdrafts and the indicated airspeed was at 50 mph. The pilot managed to guide the aircraft between some large trees and then impacted in a relatively open area of large sagebrush. Just before stopping, the aircraft spun 180 degrees.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS AT A CLIMB SPEED OF ABOUT 100 MPH. AT ABOUT 30 SECONDS BEFORE IMPACT THE AIRCRAFT WAS HIT WITH A DOWN DRAFT THAT BASICALLY STOPPED HIS CLIMB. THE AIRCRAFT WAS HIT BY A SECOND AND A THIRD DOWNDRAFTS AND THE INDICATED AIRSPEED WAS AT 50 MPH. THE PILOT MANAGED TO GUIDE THE AIRCRAFT BETWEEN SOME LARGE TREES AND THEN IMPACTED IN A RELATIVELY OPEN AREA OF LARGE SAGEBRUSH. JUST BEFORE STOPPING, THE AIRCRAFT SPUN 180 DEGREES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N911HE · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.