What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Airman was landing on unimproved airstrip on talchulitna river, approximately eight miles southwest of Skwentna airport with conventional aircraft outfitted with 31" bushwheel tires.
Airman chose to land on airstrip that was grass and what he described as mowed down alder bushes in the landing area. After overflying the strip to confirm it was clear, he made his landing approach. While still airborne, at about ten feet off the ground, he realized the alders were taller than he thought, but decided to continue the landing. His right main tire touched down on the grass but the left main was in the alders. The alders arrested his forward movement and the aircraft nosed over onto its back, damaging the wings, vertical stabilizer, and propeller.
As the FAA filed it
AIRMAN WAS LANDING ON UNIMPROVED AIRSTRIP ON TALCHULITNA RIVER, APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MILES SOUTHWEST OF SKWENTNA AIRPORT WITH CONVENTIONAL AIRCRAFT OUTFITTED WITH 31" BUSHWHEEL TIRES.
AIRMAN CHOSE TO LAND ON AIRSTRIP THAT WAS GRASS AND WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS MOWED DOWN ALDER BUSHES IN THE LANDING AREA. AFTER OVERFLYING THE STRIP TO CONFIRM IT WAS CLEAR, HE MADE HIS LANDING APPROACH. WHILE STILL AIRBORNE, AT ABOUT TEN FEET OFF THE GROUND, HE REALIZED THE ALDERS WERE TALLER THAN HE THOUGHT, BUT DECIDED TO CONTINUE THE LANDING. HIS RIGHT MAIN TIRE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE GRASS BUT THE LEFT MAIN WAS IN THE ALDERS. THE ALDERS ARRESTED HIS FORWARD MOVEMENT AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER ONTO ITS BACK, DAMAGING THE WINGS, VERTICAL STABILIZER, AND PROPELLER.
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 N3085G · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.