What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Overflying the backcountry landing strip around mid-afternoon, the pilot observed light and variable winds. When approaching to land the pilot reported a gust of wind from the rear, pushed the airplane further up the landing strip and closer towards rising terrain, making a go-around unsafe. Upon touchdown the pilot realized impact with the trees was inevitable, and so steered the plane between two trees such that the wings absorbed the impact energy, protecting the two occupants.
As the FAA filed it
OVERFLYING THE BACKCOUNTRY LANDING STRIP AROUND MID-AFTERNOON, THE PILOT OBSERVED LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS. WHEN APPROACHING TO LAND THE PILOT REPORTED A GUST OF WIND FROM THE REAR, PUSHED THE AIRPLANE FURTHER UP THE LANDING STRIP AND CLOSER TOWARDS RISING TERRAIN, MAKING A GO-AROUND UNSAFE. UPON TOUCHDOWN THE PILOT REALIZED IMPACT WITH THE TREES WAS INEVITABLE, AND SO STEERED THE PLANE BETWEEN TWO TREES SUCH THAT THE WINGS ABSORBED THE IMPACT ENERGY, PROTECTING THE TWO OCCUPANTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.