What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot took off from merrill field at 1229PM. Attempted to land at Off Airport strip (3500 MSL upslope, one way in, one way out). Time of accident was 1:22PM. First time at this location. Pilot could see previous landing tracks. Made a pass over strip and assessed the wind. Due to the up slope nature of the strip pilot had to land with a tail wind. Wind over strip turned out to be less then what the pilot found after landing. What was believed to be light wind was in fact strong surface wind. Pilot was too slow on approach with the tail wind and aborted takeoff too late. Due to the up slope strip and slow speed, pilot was unable to develop sufficient climb rate to go around. Main landing gear made contact with the ground with enough force to collapse the right gear leg. Aircraft inspection found substantial damage to the main landing gear and right wing.
Sas task T-AL03-FY22-0029
Sas compliance counseling AL03202200317
As the FAA filed it
PILOT TOOK OFF FROM MERRILL FIELD AT 1229PM. ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT OFF AIRPORT STRIP (3500 MSL UPSLOPE, ONE WAY IN, ONE WAY OUT). TIME OF ACCIDENT WAS 1:22PM. FIRST TIME AT THIS LOCATION. PILOT COULD SEE PREVIOUS LANDING TRACKS. MADE A PASS OVER STRIP AND ASSESSED THE WIND. DUE TO THE UP SLOPE NATURE OF THE STRIP PILOT HAD TO LAND WITH A TAIL WIND. WIND OVER STRIP TURNED OUT TO BE LESS THEN WHAT THE PILOT FOUND AFTER LANDING. WHAT WAS BELIEVED TO BE LIGHT WIND WAS IN FACT STRONG SURFACE WIND. PILOT WAS TOO SLOW ON APPROACH WITH THE TAIL WIND AND ABORTED TAKEOFF TOO LATE. DUE TO THE UP SLOPE STRIP AND SLOW SPEED, PILOT WAS UNABLE TO DEVELOP SUFFICIENT CLIMB RATE TO GO AROUND. MAIN LANDING GEAR MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO COLLAPSE THE RIGHT GEAR LEG. AIRCRAFT INSPECTION FOUND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE MAIN LANDING GEAR AND RIGHT WING.
SAS TASK T-AL03-FY22-0029
SAS COMPLIANCE COUNSELING AL03202200317
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.