What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Departure announcement for airwork in the pattern
Departed alternate use area dirt strip to the northwest @ approximately 2:00 pm
Announced departure intentions, entered the traffic pattern then announced airwork in the pattern
Performed 3 pattern procedures for 3 practice short field take-off and landings (stol).
Landed at a pre-measured short field touchdown point on all 3 landings.
Soft dirt surface on 18' wide strip with crown centerline sloping out to a 12' wide x 10" - 12" deep dirt vee-ditch on either side of strip.
3Rd landing, while completing roll-out aircraft slowed to approximately 5MPH but the right main drifted in soft dirt to right edge of strip next to the vee-ditch.
Roll-out air speed bled off resulting in no rudder control. I applied left brake but soft soil made braking ineffective to help align plane back left toward centerline and out of soft shoulder on right side of the strip.
29" Tundra tires did not roll out through the vee-ditch, instead caused tail to kick a little to the left, then abrupt stop with a slow motion movement of tail off the ground, tail slow motion movement to vertical. I thought plane was going to settle back to the ground on the tail but instead continued slow motion roll over onto its back.
Executed emergency procedure and exited aircraft, turned off master switch and key, walked to safe distance from aircraft in case of fire.
As the FAA filed it
DEPARTURE ANNOUNCEMENT FOR AIRWORK IN THE PATTERN
DEPARTED ALTERNATE USE AREA DIRT STRIP TO THE NORTHWEST @ APPROXIMATELY 2:00 PM
ANNOUNCED DEPARTURE INTENTIONS, ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN THEN ANNOUNCED AIRWORK IN THE PATTERN
PERFORMED 3 PATTERN PROCEDURES FOR 3 PRACTICE SHORT FIELD TAKE-OFF AND LANDINGS (STOL).
LANDED AT A PRE-MEASURED SHORT FIELD TOUCHDOWN POINT ON ALL 3 LANDINGS.
SOFT DIRT SURFACE ON 18' WIDE STRIP WITH CROWN CENTERLINE SLOPING OUT TO A 12' WIDE X 10" - 12" DEEP DIRT VEE-DITCH ON EITHER SIDE OF STRIP.
3RD LANDING, WHILE COMPLETING ROLL-OUT AIRCRAFT SLOWED TO APPROXIMATELY 5MPH BUT THE RIGHT MAIN DRIFTED IN SOFT DIRT TO RIGHT EDGE OF STRIP NEXT TO THE VEE-DITCH.
ROLL-OUT AIR SPEED BLED OFF RESULTING IN NO RUDDER CONTROL. I APPLIED LEFT BRAKE BUT SOFT SOIL MADE BRAKING INEFFECTIVE TO HELP ALIGN PLANE BACK LEFT TOWARD CENTERLINE AND OUT OF SOFT SHOULDER ON RIGHT SIDE OF THE STRIP.
29" TUNDRA TIRES DID NOT ROLL OUT THROUGH THE VEE-DITCH, INSTEAD CAUSED TAIL TO KICK A LITTLE TO THE LEFT, THEN ABRUPT STOP WITH A SLOW MOTION MOVEMENT OF TAIL OFF THE GROUND, TAIL SLOW MOTION MOVEMENT TO VERTICAL. I THOUGHT PLANE WAS GOING TO SETTLE BACK TO THE GROUND ON THE TAIL BUT INSTEAD CONTINUED SLOW MOTION ROLL OVER ONTO ITS BACK.
EXECUTED EMERGENCY PROCEDURE AND EXITED AIRCRAFT, TURNED OFF MASTER SWITCH AND KEY, WALKED TO SAFE DISTANCE FROM AIRCRAFT IN CASE OF FIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.