What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot was returning to his home field shortly after 8 pm and elected to land on runway 25 due to a reported 6 knot wind from the west. While on final approach his visibility was severely impacted by the setting sun and he lost sight of a line of cedar trees he needed to clear on short final. He descended too low and his right wing struck one of the trees located approximately 700' from the runway. His momentum carried him forward another 100' while the aircraft spun around approximately. 180 degrees and nosed into the ground causing substantial damage to the front of the aircraft and both wings. The pilot was flying from the rear of two seats and was uninjured except for a cut on his right forearm. The front seat area was totally destroyed.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT WAS RETURNING TO HIS HOME FIELD SHORTLY AFTER 8 PM AND ELECTED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 25 DUE TO A REPORTED 6 KNOT WIND FROM THE WEST. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH HIS VISIBILITY WAS SEVERELY IMPACTED BY THE SETTING SUN AND HE LOST SIGHT OF A LINE OF CEDAR TREES HE NEEDED TO CLEAR ON SHORT FINAL. HE DESCENDED TOO LOW AND HIS RIGHT WING STRUCK ONE OF THE TREES LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 700' FROM THE RUNWAY. HIS MOMENTUM CARRIED HIM FORWARD ANOTHER 100' WHILE THE AIRCRAFT SPUN AROUND APPROXIMATELY. 180 DEGREES AND NOSED INTO THE GROUND CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND BOTH WINGS. THE PILOT WAS FLYING FROM THE REAR OF TWO SEATS AND WAS UNINJURED EXCEPT FOR A CUT ON HIS RIGHT FOREARM. THE FRONT SEAT AREA WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.