What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 8, 2022, at 1420 MDT, a PA-22-108 Piper colt, single engine aircraft, privacy data omitted made an off field landing near Estancia, NM (34.40°n 105.58°w). The private pilot and his passenger, a commercial pilot and flight instructor, sustained no injuries. Aircraft damage was minor, consisting of a bent nose gear and broken windscreen. The flight originated and operated in VFR conditions from tradewind airport (tdw) near amarillo, TX on July 8, 2022, at 1237 CDT. No flight plan was filed and flight following was not requested.
The pilot stated that the density altitude at departure was 9,000 feet. Enroute to belen alexander airport, NM (brg), privacy data omitted experienced 700 to 900 fpm up and down drafts associated with thermal activity. Both pilots recognized that aircraft performance was degrading and that they would not out climb the rising terrain ahead. They opted to make a soft field landing on a salt flat about 6 miles east of Estancia municipal airport (E92). As the aircraft slowed, it broke through the hard thin surface of the salt flat and flipped nose first in the mud.
Incident is related to incorrect knowledge and interpreting the situation incorrectly. The decision to land on an unimproved salt flat when an airport was located about 6 miles away reflects poor planning.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 8, 2022, AT 1420 MDT, A PA-22-108 PIPER COLT, SINGLE ENGINE AIRCRAFT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ MADE AN OFF FIELD LANDING NEAR ESTANCIA, NM (34.40°N 105.58°W). THE PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER, A COMMERCIAL PILOT AND FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, SUSTAINED NO INJURIES. AIRCRAFT DAMAGE WAS MINOR, CONSISTING OF A BENT NOSE GEAR AND BROKEN WINDSCREEN. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AND OPERATED IN VFR CONDITIONS FROM TRADEWIND AIRPORT (TDW) NEAR AMARILLO, TX ON JULY 8, 2022, AT 1237 CDT. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED AND FLIGHT FOLLOWING WAS NOT REQUESTED.
THE PILOT STATED THAT THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AT DEPARTURE WAS 9,000 FEET. ENROUTE TO BELEN ALEXANDER AIRPORT, NM (BRG), ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ EXPERIENCED 700 TO 900 FPM UP AND DOWN DRAFTS ASSOCIATED WITH THERMAL ACTIVITY. BOTH PILOTS RECOGNIZED THAT AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE WAS DEGRADING AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT OUT CLIMB THE RISING TERRAIN AHEAD. THEY OPTED TO MAKE A SOFT FIELD LANDING ON A SALT FLAT ABOUT 6 MILES EAST OF ESTANCIA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (E92). AS THE AIRCRAFT SLOWED, IT BROKE THROUGH THE HARD THIN SURFACE OF THE SALT FLAT AND FLIPPED NOSE FIRST IN THE MUD.
INCIDENT IS RELATED TO INCORRECT KNOWLEDGE AND INTERPRETING THE SITUATION INCORRECTLY. THE DECISION TO LAND ON AN UNIMPROVED SALT FLAT WHEN AN AIRPORT WAS LOCATED ABOUT 6 MILES AWAY REFLECTS POOR PLANNING.