What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft departed Montrose airport and circled the valley to gain altitude before turning east. Approximately 15 miles east of Montrose, Colorado the aircraft encountered down drafts that were sinking faster than the aircraft could climb.
The aircraft descended into a mountain field where it stalled and spun around on the left wing coming to rest, upright, at the bottom of a steep slope. The aircraft had major damage to everything but the tail section. The pilot had serious injuries and was taken to the hospital.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT DEPARTED MONTROSE AIRPORT AND CIRCLED THE VALLEY TO GAIN ALTITUDE BEFORE TURNING EAST. APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES EAST OF MONTROSE, COLORADO THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED DOWN DRAFTS THAT WERE SINKING FASTER THAN THE AIRCRAFT COULD CLIMB.
THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED INTO A MOUNTAIN FIELD WHERE IT STALLED AND SPUN AROUND ON THE LEFT WING COMING TO REST, UPRIGHT, AT THE BOTTOM OF A STEEP SLOPE. THE AIRCRAFT HAD MAJOR DAMAGE TO EVERYTHING BUT THE TAIL SECTION. THE PILOT HAD SERIOUS INJURIES AND WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.