What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On the morning of February 20, 2026 I departed murray field (keka) in eureka, CA
At 8:35 a.m. for a quick morning flight to look at the snow on the hills outside of town. It
Was a calm clear morning with very little wind. I departed runway 12 and climbed to the
East up to 4000 feet. Upon reaching Kneeland airport (019) I overflew the field and
Started a decent to look at the airport and entered the downwind leg for runway 33 to do
A low inspection pass and assess the conditions. There was snow on the runway and I
Could see tarmac near the tie-down area as well as foot prints in the snow; from that I
Guessed the snow could only be a few inches deep at most. I went around and set up for
Another low pass which I planned to drag my tires to get a feel for the runway condition. I
First touched my tires at roughly the 500FT mark. The condition felt as I expected and I
Decided to reduce my power further to put more weight on the tires. Conditions still felt
Good so I reduced power to idle and committed to landing. At roughly the 1000FT mark
The plane started slowing dramatically. I had full back stick at this point and a go around
Was not an option. As the plane slowed further I could feel the tail rising, and before I
Knew it I was upside down hanging from my harness.
The plane came to rest upside
Down at roughly the 1200FT mark on the runway.
As the FAA filed it
ON THE MORNING OF FEBRUARY 20, 2026 I DEPARTED MURRAY FIELD (KEKA) IN EUREKA, CA
AT 8:35 A.M. FOR A QUICK MORNING FLIGHT TO LOOK AT THE SNOW ON THE HILLS OUTSIDE OF TOWN. IT
WAS A CALM CLEAR MORNING WITH VERY LITTLE WIND. I DEPARTED RUNWAY 12 AND CLIMBED TO THE
EAST UP TO 4000 FEET. UPON REACHING KNEELAND AIRPORT (019) I OVERFLEW THE FIELD AND
STARTED A DECENT TO LOOK AT THE AIRPORT AND ENTERED THE DOWNWIND LEG FOR RUNWAY 33 TO DO
A LOW INSPECTION PASS AND ASSESS THE CONDITIONS. THERE WAS SNOW ON THE RUNWAY AND I
COULD SEE TARMAC NEAR THE TIE-DOWN AREA AS WELL AS FOOT PRINTS IN THE SNOW; FROM THAT I
GUESSED THE SNOW COULD ONLY BE A FEW INCHES DEEP AT MOST. I WENT AROUND AND SET UP FOR
ANOTHER LOW PASS WHICH I PLANNED TO DRAG MY TIRES TO GET A FEEL FOR THE RUNWAY CONDITION. I
FIRST TOUCHED MY TIRES AT ROUGHLY THE 500FT MARK. THE CONDITION FELT AS I EXPECTED AND I
DECIDED TO REDUCE MY POWER FURTHER TO PUT MORE WEIGHT ON THE TIRES. CONDITIONS STILL FELT
GOOD SO I REDUCED POWER TO IDLE AND COMMITTED TO LANDING. AT ROUGHLY THE 1000FT MARK
THE PLANE STARTED SLOWING DRAMATICALLY. I HAD FULL BACK STICK AT THIS POINT AND A GO AROUND
WAS NOT AN OPTION. AS THE PLANE SLOWED FURTHER I COULD FEEL THE TAIL RISING, AND BEFORE I
KNEW IT I WAS UPSIDE DOWN HANGING FROM MY HARNESS.
THE PLANE CAME TO REST UPSIDE
DOWN AT ROUGHLY THE 1200FT MARK ON THE RUNWAY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N72904 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.