What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
PIC was making multiple trips to Gravel Bar strip during the day from Kotzebue, this was the third takeoff/trip, planning to return to Kotzebue. A few inches of snow were present, but had been compacted during previous takeoff/landings and taxi-backs. PIC said previous two takeoffs were uneventful with about 5 KTS steady headwind. This takeoff carried out 2 passengers, backpack frames (no contents) and light survival gear. Fuel on board was 20 gallons total. This is below mgtow. PIC estimated winds rose to 10KT and become gusty during the accident takeoff attempt. PIC said during the accident takeoff, the takeoff roll was normal and upon becoming airborne, they experienced a gust or tailwind that caused the aircraft to settle and touch down right before the river. The PIC said they turned to avoid a vertical rock face and aircraft continued to bounce and possibly hydroplane at the edge of the river. PIC said they could not achieve flying speed and impacted a bank, which collapsed a landing gear strut. The left landing gear struck flipped up and compromised the wing strut, which then caused the wing to fold. The aircraft then impacted the ground.
As the FAA filed it
PIC WAS MAKING MULTIPLE TRIPS TO GRAVEL BAR STRIP DURING THE DAY FROM KOTZEBUE, THIS WAS THE THIRD TAKEOFF/TRIP, PLANNING TO RETURN TO KOTZEBUE. A FEW INCHES OF SNOW WERE PRESENT, BUT HAD BEEN COMPACTED DURING PREVIOUS TAKEOFF/LANDINGS AND TAXI-BACKS. PIC SAID PREVIOUS TWO TAKEOFFS WERE UNEVENTFUL WITH ABOUT 5 KTS STEADY HEADWIND. THIS TAKEOFF CARRIED OUT 2 PASSENGERS, BACKPACK FRAMES (NO CONTENTS) AND LIGHT SURVIVAL GEAR. FUEL ON BOARD WAS 20 GALLONS TOTAL. THIS IS BELOW MGTOW. PIC ESTIMATED WINDS ROSE TO 10KT AND BECOME GUSTY DURING THE ACCIDENT TAKEOFF ATTEMPT. PIC SAID DURING THE ACCIDENT TAKEOFF, THE TAKEOFF ROLL WAS NORMAL AND UPON BECOMING AIRBORNE, THEY EXPERIENCED A GUST OR TAILWIND THAT CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO SETTLE AND TOUCH DOWN RIGHT BEFORE THE RIVER. THE PIC SAID THEY TURNED TO AVOID A VERTICAL ROCK FACE AND AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO BOUNCE AND POSSIBLY HYDROPLANE AT THE EDGE OF THE RIVER. PIC SAID THEY COULD NOT ACHIEVE FLYING SPEED AND IMPACTED A BANK, WHICH COLLAPSED A LANDING GEAR STRUT. THE LEFT LANDING GEAR STRUCK FLIPPED UP AND COMPROMISED THE WING STRUT, WHICH THEN CAUSED THE WING TO FOLD. THE AIRCRAFT THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.