What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot stated he was looking for a beach to land on along the noatak river. Found a gravel bar that looked suitable to land. Over flew the gravel bar 2 times to ensure that it was safe enough to land. Pilot stated he landed 30 or 40 feet short of his intended landing spot. The aircraft hit a few big rocks and broke off the right gear leg. After the gear leg broke off aircraft spun and the left wing tip contacted the ground causing substantial damage to the spar and surrounding aircraft skin. The aircraft then tipped on its nose and the propeller struck the ground causing damage to the prop and engine.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT STATED HE WAS LOOKING FOR A BEACH TO LAND ON ALONG THE NOATAK RIVER. FOUND A GRAVEL BAR THAT LOOKED SUITABLE TO LAND. OVER FLEW THE GRAVEL BAR 2 TIMES TO ENSURE THAT IT WAS SAFE ENOUGH TO LAND. PILOT STATED HE LANDED 30 OR 40 FEET SHORT OF HIS INTENDED LANDING SPOT. THE AIRCRAFT HIT A FEW BIG ROCKS AND BROKE OFF THE RIGHT GEAR LEG. AFTER THE GEAR LEG BROKE OFF AIRCRAFT SPUN AND THE LEFT WING TIP CONTACTED THE GROUND CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE SPAR AND SURROUNDING AIRCRAFT SKIN. THE AIRCRAFT THEN TIPPED ON ITS NOSE AND THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE GROUND CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE PROP AND ENGINE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.