What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 20, 2019 at approximately 1500 local time, N6PF had departed lhd and crashed under unknown circumstances while attempting to land at a cabin near talachulitna river, Alaska (75NM nw of anchorage AK). The aircraft was operating under 14 CFR part 91.
There were a single pilot and one passenger on board. The passenger, received serious injuries. Both were transported via helicopter to anchorage.
The pilot reported the day was warm and he expected gusting winds and thermal activity at the landing site. He flew over the landing site to view the windsock which favored a north landing. He adjusted his approach speed by adding 10 knots due to expected gust factor.
He reported that on short final the flight controls began to lose authority and he recognized the wind had shifted to a tail wind. He added full power and commenced to perform a go-around. Although he was able to keep the plane from stalling he was unable to gain enough airspeed to have positive input to the controls.
The aircraft rolled 30 degrees to the left and departed to the left side of the runway. The pilot continued to try to correct the left turning tendency all the way until the aircraft struck a large birch tree near ground level.
The impact was in front of the right main landing gear and stopped the aircraft immediately with the left wing tip and tail resting on the ground. The pilot was able to egress, the passenger was extracted by emergency responders.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 20, 2019 AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 LOCAL TIME, N6PF HAD DEPARTED LHD AND CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND AT A CABIN NEAR TALACHULITNA RIVER, ALASKA (75NM NW OF ANCHORAGE AK). THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR PART 91.
THERE WERE A SINGLE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER ON BOARD. THE PASSENGER, RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. BOTH WERE TRANSPORTED VIA HELICOPTER TO ANCHORAGE.
THE PILOT REPORTED THE DAY WAS WARM AND HE EXPECTED GUSTING WINDS AND THERMAL ACTIVITY AT THE LANDING SITE. HE FLEW OVER THE LANDING SITE TO VIEW THE WINDSOCK WHICH FAVORED A NORTH LANDING. HE ADJUSTED HIS APPROACH SPEED BY ADDING 10 KNOTS DUE TO EXPECTED GUST FACTOR.
HE REPORTED THAT ON SHORT FINAL THE FLIGHT CONTROLS BEGAN TO LOSE AUTHORITY AND HE RECOGNIZED THE WIND HAD SHIFTED TO A TAIL WIND. HE ADDED FULL POWER AND COMMENCED TO PERFORM A GO-AROUND. ALTHOUGH HE WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE PLANE FROM STALLING HE WAS UNABLE TO GAIN ENOUGH AIRSPEED TO HAVE POSITIVE INPUT TO THE CONTROLS.
THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED 30 DEGREES TO THE LEFT AND DEPARTED TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT CONTINUED TO TRY TO CORRECT THE LEFT TURNING TENDENCY ALL THE WAY UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A LARGE BIRCH TREE NEAR GROUND LEVEL.
THE IMPACT WAS IN FRONT OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR AND STOPPED THE AIRCRAFT IMMEDIATELY WITH THE LEFT WING TIP AND TAIL RESTING ON THE GROUND. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO EGRESS, THE PASSENGER WAS EXTRACTED BY EMERGENCY RESPONDERS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.