What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative in airman?s words:
Sunday, September 15, 2019, at an unnamed lake approximately 35 miles southwest of Nenana, Alaska. Proceeded to do a pre-flight to include 10 gallons of fuel added.
Warmed the airplane up, took off the lake to the north with a northeast wind of approximately 10 knots with gusts to 20, estimated. Departed the water with some difficulty due to the winds. The terrain on the east side of the lake is a ridge approximately 75 to 100 feet in elevation above the lake, causing some down drafts. Proceeded to climb out with some difficulty. Got to the end of the lake, and lost some altitude. Made the decision to turn and return to the water. As I turned downwind, a gust of wind hit my tail and stalled the left wing and crashed. Was able to maintain consciousness and evacuate the airplane and walk back to camp approximately ½ mile. At which time another airplane carrying the ELT beacon landed to assist and flew me into north pole and helped me get to the hospital. My original destination was going to be unnamed lake to Nenana and no more flying that day.
If I had maintained northward departure could have possibly have made it to a second lake for landing or I could have pulled power and possibly landed on the very end of the lake. Either decision would be preferred over turning back to the departing lake.
The airplane was totaled with extensive damage, floats, fuselage and engine. The departure time was approximated 12:45 pm. No services were available. Other than wind conditions being strong, clouds and temperature were acceptable.
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE IN AIRMAN?S WORDS:
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2019, AT AN UNNAMED LAKE APPROXIMATELY 35 MILES SOUTHWEST OF NENANA, ALASKA. PROCEEDED TO DO A PRE-FLIGHT TO INCLUDE 10 GALLONS OF FUEL ADDED.
WARMED THE AIRPLANE UP, TOOK OFF THE LAKE TO THE NORTH WITH A NORTHEAST WIND OF APPROXIMATELY 10 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 20, ESTIMATED. DEPARTED THE WATER WITH SOME DIFFICULTY DUE TO THE WINDS. THE TERRAIN ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE LAKE IS A RIDGE APPROXIMATELY 75 TO 100 FEET IN ELEVATION ABOVE THE LAKE, CAUSING SOME DOWN DRAFTS. PROCEEDED TO CLIMB OUT WITH SOME DIFFICULTY. GOT TO THE END OF THE LAKE, AND LOST SOME ALTITUDE. MADE THE DECISION TO TURN AND RETURN TO THE WATER. AS I TURNED DOWNWIND, A GUST OF WIND HIT MY TAIL AND STALLED THE LEFT WING AND CRASHED. WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONSCIOUSNESS AND EVACUATE THE AIRPLANE AND WALK BACK TO CAMP APPROXIMATELY ½ MILE. AT WHICH TIME ANOTHER AIRPLANE CARRYING THE ELT BEACON LANDED TO ASSIST AND FLEW ME INTO NORTH POLE AND HELPED ME GET TO THE HOSPITAL. MY ORIGINAL DESTINATION WAS GOING TO BE UNNAMED LAKE TO NENANA AND NO MORE FLYING THAT DAY.
IF I HAD MAINTAINED NORTHWARD DEPARTURE COULD HAVE POSSIBLY HAVE MADE IT TO A SECOND LAKE FOR LANDING OR I COULD HAVE PULLED POWER AND POSSIBLY LANDED ON THE VERY END OF THE LAKE. EITHER DECISION WOULD BE PREFERRED OVER TURNING BACK TO THE DEPARTING LAKE.
THE AIRPLANE WAS TOTALED WITH EXTENSIVE DAMAGE, FLOATS, FUSELAGE AND ENGINE. THE DEPARTURE TIME WAS APPROXIMATED 12:45 PM. NO SERVICES WERE AVAILABLE. OTHER THAN WIND CONDITIONS BEING STRONG, CLOUDS AND TEMPERATURE WERE ACCEPTABLE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.