What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot completed an aerial inspection of a commonly used gravel landing strip and observed some areas with standing water. The pilot made the decision to land in a drier looking portion of the runway and plan to roll through the water. The pilot incorrectly assessed that his soft-field landing technique would provide adequate time and distance on landing rollout. As the airplane rolled into the shallow water the tires hydroplaned and then broke the surface of the water. Post incident analysis showed the water to be approximately 5” deep. Although the aircraft had 35” bushwheels, the drag in the water quickly decelerated the airplane which lifted the tail, and slowly pitched the aircraft onto its nose and over onto its back. Only the pilot was on board, no injuries. The only perceived damage was to the propeller. All other parts of the aircraft appeared undamaged.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT COMPLETED AN AERIAL INSPECTION OF A COMMONLY USED GRAVEL LANDING STRIP AND OBSERVED SOME AREAS WITH STANDING WATER. THE PILOT MADE THE DECISION TO LAND IN A DRIER LOOKING PORTION OF THE RUNWAY AND PLAN TO ROLL THROUGH THE WATER. THE PILOT INCORRECTLY ASSESSED THAT HIS SOFT-FIELD LANDING TECHNIQUE WOULD PROVIDE ADEQUATE TIME AND DISTANCE ON LANDING ROLLOUT. AS THE AIRPLANE ROLLED INTO THE SHALLOW WATER THE TIRES HYDROPLANED AND THEN BROKE THE SURFACE OF THE WATER. POST INCIDENT ANALYSIS SHOWED THE WATER TO BE APPROXIMATELY 5” DEEP. ALTHOUGH THE AIRCRAFT HAD 35” BUSHWHEELS, THE DRAG IN THE WATER QUICKLY DECELERATED THE AIRPLANE WHICH LIFTED THE TAIL, AND SLOWLY PITCHED THE AIRCRAFT ONTO ITS NOSE AND OVER ONTO ITS BACK. ONLY THE PILOT WAS ON BOARD, NO INJURIES. THE ONLY PERCEIVED DAMAGE WAS TO THE PROPELLER. ALL OTHER PARTS OF THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED UNDAMAGED.
Other reports on N2791P · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.