What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot stated he wanted to scout out a back country airport and investigate the area for future flights. Pilot decided to make a low pass with no intension to land. Pilot stated "I allowed the aircraft to get too low where I was unable to achieve enough lift to exit the canyon. When it became apparent that it would not clear the ridgeline, a last-minute attempt to make a turn back into the valley was attempted despite knowing the trees were at the level of flight path. I flew the aircraft to its slowest speed before stall, this is when the aircraft hit trees and went down into the forest."
Both occupants exited the aircraft and hiked down to the runway where another pilot used his plb to get medical evacuation help for both occupants.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT STATED HE WANTED TO SCOUT OUT A BACK COUNTRY AIRPORT AND INVESTIGATE THE AREA FOR FUTURE FLIGHTS. PILOT DECIDED TO MAKE A LOW PASS WITH NO INTENSION TO LAND. PILOT STATED "I ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO GET TOO LOW WHERE I WAS UNABLE TO ACHIEVE ENOUGH LIFT TO EXIT THE CANYON. WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT THAT IT WOULD NOT CLEAR THE RIDGELINE, A LAST-MINUTE ATTEMPT TO MAKE A TURN BACK INTO THE VALLEY WAS ATTEMPTED DESPITE KNOWING THE TREES WERE AT THE LEVEL OF FLIGHT PATH. I FLEW THE AIRCRAFT TO ITS SLOWEST SPEED BEFORE STALL, THIS IS WHEN THE AIRCRAFT HIT TREES AND WENT DOWN INTO THE FOREST."
BOTH OCCUPANTS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND HIKED DOWN TO THE RUNWAY WHERE ANOTHER PILOT USED HIS PLB TO GET MEDICAL EVACUATION HELP FOR BOTH OCCUPANTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.