What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 5/27/20 the pilot departed merrill field Alaska for a VFR flight under 14 CFR, part 91, no flight plan was filed.
The pilot was practicing off field landings 3 miles south of Lake George Alaska. The aircraft received substantial damage when it ground looped on landing rollout, the pilot was not injured.
The accident occurred on his 6th landing of the day but the first landing at the narrow remote strip. The pilot touched down and during landing roll out encountered a quartering tail wind which caused the aircraft to veer to the left. The left wing of the aircraft contacted alders and the aircraft spun 90 degrees to the left and came to a sudden stop. The left wing and landing gear received substantial damage.
The pilot used his satellite phone to contact authorities and was rescued afterwards. The aircraft was sling-loaded by helicopter to palmer airport.
In the pilots statement he indicated that he had lost momentary directional control of the aircraft due to the quartering tail wind. The strip was narrow so there was no room for error. He agreed to pursue additional off field training. The pilot has no previous accident history.
As the FAA filed it
ON 5/27/20 THE PILOT DEPARTED MERRILL FIELD ALASKA FOR A VFR FLIGHT UNDER 14 CFR, PART 91, NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.
THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING OFF FIELD LANDINGS 3 MILES SOUTH OF LAKE GEORGE ALASKA. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT GROUND LOOPED ON LANDING ROLLOUT, THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.
THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON HIS 6TH LANDING OF THE DAY BUT THE FIRST LANDING AT THE NARROW REMOTE STRIP. THE PILOT TOUCHED DOWN AND DURING LANDING ROLL OUT ENCOUNTERED A QUARTERING TAIL WIND WHICH CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO VEER TO THE LEFT. THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED ALDERS AND THE AIRCRAFT SPUN 90 DEGREES TO THE LEFT AND CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP. THE LEFT WING AND LANDING GEAR RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
THE PILOT USED HIS SATELLITE PHONE TO CONTACT AUTHORITIES AND WAS RESCUED AFTERWARDS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SLING-LOADED BY HELICOPTER TO PALMER AIRPORT.
IN THE PILOTS STATEMENT HE INDICATED THAT HE HAD LOST MOMENTARY DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DUE TO THE QUARTERING TAIL WIND. THE STRIP WAS NARROW SO THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR ERROR. HE AGREED TO PURSUE ADDITIONAL OFF FIELD TRAINING. THE PILOT HAS NO PREVIOUS ACCIDENT HISTORY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.