What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
A helicopter rated private pilot with 185 flight hours was flying a single engine land airplane under solo privileges with 14 hours of experience. He became disoriented and, running low on fuel, elected to make a precautionary landing. The pilot selected a dirt road but there was a tailwind condition present. During the roll out the aircraft bogged down in soft sand and the tailwind prevented the pilot from maintaining directional control. He swerved into an embankment causing structural damage to both wings of the airplane.
As the FAA filed it
A HELICOPTER RATED PRIVATE PILOT WITH 185 FLIGHT HOURS WAS FLYING A SINGLE ENGINE LAND AIRPLANE UNDER SOLO PRIVILEGES WITH 14 HOURS OF EXPERIENCE. HE BECAME DISORIENTED AND, RUNNING LOW ON FUEL, ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. THE PILOT SELECTED A DIRT ROAD BUT THERE WAS A TAILWIND CONDITION PRESENT. DURING THE ROLL OUT THE AIRCRAFT BOGGED DOWN IN SOFT SAND AND THE TAILWIND PREVENTED THE PILOT FROM MAINTAINING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. HE SWERVED INTO AN EMBANKMENT CAUSING STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO BOTH WINGS OF THE AIRPLANE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.