What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot approached the mountainous air strip for the stated purpose of inspecting the condition of the landing surface. This information was for use by aquainainces who planned to land at the airstrip in the next few days. The pilot reported adding flaps, slowing and making a low pass from south to north at approximately 100' AGL. Full power was then applied and a right turn to the east was made to remain within a small valley to gain altitude. The pilot reported "feeling" a downdraft and the airplane did not climb. Control was maintained at low airpeed while the airplane continued to sink. Contact with the ground was made and the airplane came to a stop upright, but substantially damaged by the vegetation and rough ground. The pilot and passenger egressed the airplane and sought out assistance.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT APPROACHED THE MOUNTAINOUS AIR STRIP FOR THE STATED PURPOSE OF INSPECTING THE CONDITION OF THE LANDING SURFACE. THIS INFORMATION WAS FOR USE BY AQUAINAINCES WHO PLANNED TO LAND AT THE AIRSTRIP IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. THE PILOT REPORTED ADDING FLAPS, SLOWING AND MAKING A LOW PASS FROM SOUTH TO NORTH AT APPROXIMATELY 100' AGL. FULL POWER WAS THEN APPLIED AND A RIGHT TURN TO THE EAST WAS MADE TO REMAIN WITHIN A SMALL VALLEY TO GAIN ALTITUDE. THE PILOT REPORTED "FEELING" A DOWNDRAFT AND THE AIRPLANE DID NOT CLIMB. CONTROL WAS MAINTAINED AT LOW AIRPEED WHILE THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO SINK. CONTACT WITH THE GROUND WAS MADE AND THE AIRPLANE CAME TO A STOP UPRIGHT, BUT SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED BY THE VEGETATION AND ROUGH GROUND. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER EGRESSED THE AIRPLANE AND SOUGHT OUT ASSISTANCE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.