What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot was departing from an unimproved strip near the wood river in Alaska near Virginia creek. The weather was VFR with no ceilings and 10 miles visibility. The wind was variable with occasional gusts. PIC chose a westbound departure towards the river. During the takeoff roll, the PIC failed to maintain centerline due to a gust of wind just as the tail lifted causing the left wing to contact some small trees. The aircraft came to rest just clear of the strip.
Pic/passenger exited the aircraft safely and were unharmed. They documented the scene with pictures then removed vegetation so they could remove camping gear.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT WAS DEPARTING FROM AN UNIMPROVED STRIP NEAR THE WOOD RIVER IN ALASKA NEAR VIRGINIA CREEK. THE WEATHER WAS VFR WITH NO CEILINGS AND 10 MILES VISIBILITY. THE WIND WAS VARIABLE WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS. PIC CHOSE A WESTBOUND DEPARTURE TOWARDS THE RIVER. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE PIC FAILED TO MAINTAIN CENTERLINE DUE TO A GUST OF WIND JUST AS THE TAIL LIFTED CAUSING THE LEFT WING TO CONTACT SOME SMALL TREES. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST JUST CLEAR OF THE STRIP.
PIC/PASSENGER EXITED THE AIRCRAFT SAFELY AND WERE UNHARMED. THEY DOCUMENTED THE SCENE WITH PICTURES THEN REMOVED VEGETATION SO THEY COULD REMOVE CAMPING GEAR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.