What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot and two friends were returning to christiansen lake from a trip out of chelatna lake. The pilot stated they were attempting to stay below the Talkeetna traffic pattern three miles to the north for the approach. The pilot was manuevering the aircraft at 50 feet over the sustina river when executing a turn for an approach to christiansen lake and lost elevator authority during a transition to a tailwind component from a headwind. Additional power was added just before the aircraft impacted a sand bar in the river. Aircraft floats, propeller, and fuselage all received damage.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT AND TWO FRIENDS WERE RETURNING TO CHRISTIANSEN LAKE FROM A TRIP OUT OF CHELATNA LAKE. THE PILOT STATED THEY WERE ATTEMPTING TO STAY BELOW THE TALKEETNA TRAFFIC PATTERN THREE MILES TO THE NORTH FOR THE APPROACH. THE PILOT WAS MANUEVERING THE AIRCRAFT AT 50 FEET OVER THE SUSTINA RIVER WHEN EXECUTING A TURN FOR AN APPROACH TO CHRISTIANSEN LAKE AND LOST ELEVATOR AUTHORITY DURING A TRANSITION TO A TAILWIND COMPONENT FROM A HEADWIND. ADDITIONAL POWER WAS ADDED JUST BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A SAND BAR IN THE RIVER. AIRCRAFT FLOATS, PROPELLER, AND FUSELAGE ALL RECEIVED DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.