What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 15, 2026, an atp-certificated pilot was conducting landings on a dry lakebed for the purposes of flight skills practice. The accident landing happened at approximately 11:30 am, coordinates 42.93383° n, 120.69115° w. the pilot reported that the touchdown was normal, with a right crosswind shifting to a tailwind; braking action felt strong but not out of the norm; and aircraft control felt normal until the wheels dug into a soft spot. The pilot further provided that at approximately 10 to 15 knots, the wheels dug into the soft spot, the aircraft pitched forward, the propeller struck the ground, and the aircraft flipped over on its back. He reported that the weather was clear.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 15, 2026, AN ATP-CERTIFICATED PILOT WAS CONDUCTING LANDINGS ON A DRY LAKEBED FOR THE PURPOSES OF FLIGHT SKILLS PRACTICE. THE ACCIDENT LANDING HAPPENED AT APPROXIMATELY 11:30 AM, COORDINATES 42.93383° N, 120.69115° W. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE TOUCHDOWN WAS NORMAL, WITH A RIGHT CROSSWIND SHIFTING TO A TAILWIND; BRAKING ACTION FELT STRONG BUT NOT OUT OF THE NORM; AND AIRCRAFT CONTROL FELT NORMAL UNTIL THE WHEELS DUG INTO A SOFT SPOT. THE PILOT FURTHER PROVIDED THAT AT APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 15 KNOTS, THE WHEELS DUG INTO THE SOFT SPOT, THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED FORWARD, THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE GROUND, AND THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER ON ITS BACK. HE REPORTED THAT THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.