What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
ASI apf called and interviewed accident pilot on 7/13/23. Pilot was very cooperative, and stated that day he landed on a very narrow track near the mcarthur river, on which both sides brush had grown up making it very tight for wing clearance. Pilot stated no issue with landing, and wind was calm. When pilot decided to depart for takeoff, the wind had picked up and was a direct crosswind either direction. Pilot did not believe wind was a factor; but stated he was a bit concerned that there was a tree/brush clump that he felt would impede his takeoff. When he initiated his takeoff, this tree impacted his right wing, instantly pulling him to the right and into the thick brush where his propeller impacted terrain and both wings impacted thick brush and small trees. Pilot stated he had about 3000 hours of tailwheel flying, and wished very much that he had had an axe or folding saw with him to improve the strip before takeoff. He stated he will be carrying a saw or axe in the future. Pilot was counseled on adm, rbdm and the need for required equipment like an axe or saw to use when operating from remote unimproved strips.
Pilot also stated he did not know if his assistant had notified the NTSB, stating he had not been in this position before. He said he would look into it and make sure he is complying with the regulatory requirements of 14 CFR 830.
Pilot complied with NTSB reporting requirement 7/18/23.
As the FAA filed it
ASI APF CALLED AND INTERVIEWED ACCIDENT PILOT ON 7/13/23. PILOT WAS VERY COOPERATIVE, AND STATED THAT DAY HE LANDED ON A VERY NARROW TRACK NEAR THE MCARTHUR RIVER, ON WHICH BOTH SIDES BRUSH HAD GROWN UP MAKING IT VERY TIGHT FOR WING CLEARANCE. PILOT STATED NO ISSUE WITH LANDING, AND WIND WAS CALM. WHEN PILOT DECIDED TO DEPART FOR TAKEOFF, THE WIND HAD PICKED UP AND WAS A DIRECT CROSSWIND EITHER DIRECTION. PILOT DID NOT BELIEVE WIND WAS A FACTOR; BUT STATED HE WAS A BIT CONCERNED THAT THERE WAS A TREE/BRUSH CLUMP THAT HE FELT WOULD IMPEDE HIS TAKEOFF. WHEN HE INITIATED HIS TAKEOFF, THIS TREE IMPACTED HIS RIGHT WING, INSTANTLY PULLING HIM TO THE RIGHT AND INTO THE THICK BRUSH WHERE HIS PROPELLER IMPACTED TERRAIN AND BOTH WINGS IMPACTED THICK BRUSH AND SMALL TREES. PILOT STATED HE HAD ABOUT 3000 HOURS OF TAILWHEEL FLYING, AND WISHED VERY MUCH THAT HE HAD HAD AN AXE OR FOLDING SAW WITH HIM TO IMPROVE THE STRIP BEFORE TAKEOFF. HE STATED HE WILL BE CARRYING A SAW OR AXE IN THE FUTURE. PILOT WAS COUNSELED ON ADM, RBDM AND THE NEED FOR REQUIRED EQUIPMENT LIKE AN AXE OR SAW TO USE WHEN OPERATING FROM REMOTE UNIMPROVED STRIPS.
PILOT ALSO STATED HE DID NOT KNOW IF HIS ASSISTANT HAD NOTIFIED THE NTSB, STATING HE HAD NOT BEEN IN THIS POSITION BEFORE. HE SAID HE WOULD LOOK INTO IT AND MAKE SURE HE IS COMPLYING WITH THE REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS OF 14 CFR 830.
PILOT COMPLIED WITH NTSB REPORTING REQUIREMENT 7/18/23.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.