What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot was returning to her home field after completing a lesson in preparation for a commercial pilot practical test. She stated while enroute she was practicing some of the maneuvers from the lesson. Upon completing an “8’S on pylons” maneuver, the pilot found herself in a canyon that the aircraft was incapable of exiting. The pilot landed the airplane on the side of a mountain is a small grove of trees. The aircraft received major damage. The pilot had minor injuries.
While the pilot did show a lack of judgement in poor planning for the execution and completion of this maneuver, she did demonstrate great cognitive ability and training by opting for a forced landing, rather than attempting to climb out beyond the limits of the aircraft, stalling the airplane and turning this into an un-survivable event. After speaking with this airman, who is a relatively low time pilot, I feel this has been a lesson learned and experience gained.
No further action required.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT WAS RETURNING TO HER HOME FIELD AFTER COMPLETING A LESSON IN PREPARATION FOR A COMMERCIAL PILOT PRACTICAL TEST. SHE STATED WHILE ENROUTE SHE WAS PRACTICING SOME OF THE MANEUVERS FROM THE LESSON. UPON COMPLETING AN “8’S ON PYLONS” MANEUVER, THE PILOT FOUND HERSELF IN A CANYON THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS INCAPABLE OF EXITING. THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRPLANE ON THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN IS A SMALL GROVE OF TREES. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED MAJOR DAMAGE. THE PILOT HAD MINOR INJURIES.
WHILE THE PILOT DID SHOW A LACK OF JUDGEMENT IN POOR PLANNING FOR THE EXECUTION AND COMPLETION OF THIS MANEUVER, SHE DID DEMONSTRATE GREAT COGNITIVE ABILITY AND TRAINING BY OPTING FOR A FORCED LANDING, RATHER THAN ATTEMPTING TO CLIMB OUT BEYOND THE LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT, STALLING THE AIRPLANE AND TURNING THIS INTO AN UN-SURVIVABLE EVENT. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THIS AIRMAN, WHO IS A RELATIVELY LOW TIME PILOT, I FEEL THIS HAS BEEN A LESSON LEARNED AND EXPERIENCE GAINED.
NO FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.