What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The PIC departed Bozeman between 0830 and 0900 local time to perform touch-and-go landings at a grass landing strip prior to anticipated afternoon winds. After completing four touch-and-goes at lvm with reported winds of 10–12 knots gusting to 15 knots, and with increased traffic, the PIC maneuvered west along the Yellowstone river to land at a familiar off-airport pasture where the PIC had made several landings. Prior to entering the approach, the PIC evaluated local surface wind indicators and observed the direction of the blowing grass and no leaves blowing from the trees. While making a left base turn around 300 feet AGL, the PIC configured flaps at 80 KTS approach speed, and a wind gust lifted the right wing. Due to the 300 ft AGL altitude and 80 KTS airspeed, the PIC was unable to prevent the left gear from contacting terrain. Cockpit workload was minimal and routine, with no operational pressure, rushing, or distractions; however, the pic’s selected approach speed did not provide a sufficient safety buffer for localized, gusty wind conditions.
As the FAA filed it
THE PIC DEPARTED BOZEMAN BETWEEN 0830 AND 0900 LOCAL TIME TO PERFORM TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS AT A GRASS LANDING STRIP PRIOR TO ANTICIPATED AFTERNOON WINDS. AFTER COMPLETING FOUR TOUCH-AND-GOES AT LVM WITH REPORTED WINDS OF 10–12 KNOTS GUSTING TO 15 KNOTS, AND WITH INCREASED TRAFFIC, THE PIC MANEUVERED WEST ALONG THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER TO LAND AT A FAMILIAR OFF-AIRPORT PASTURE WHERE THE PIC HAD MADE SEVERAL LANDINGS. PRIOR TO ENTERING THE APPROACH, THE PIC EVALUATED LOCAL SURFACE WIND INDICATORS AND OBSERVED THE DIRECTION OF THE BLOWING GRASS AND NO LEAVES BLOWING FROM THE TREES. WHILE MAKING A LEFT BASE TURN AROUND 300 FEET AGL, THE PIC CONFIGURED FLAPS AT 80 KTS APPROACH SPEED, AND A WIND GUST LIFTED THE RIGHT WING. DUE TO THE 300 FT AGL ALTITUDE AND 80 KTS AIRSPEED, THE PIC WAS UNABLE TO PREVENT THE LEFT GEAR FROM CONTACTING TERRAIN. COCKPIT WORKLOAD WAS MINIMAL AND ROUTINE, WITH NO OPERATIONAL PRESSURE, RUSHING, OR DISTRACTIONS; HOWEVER, THE PIC’S SELECTED APPROACH SPEED DID NOT PROVIDE A SUFFICIENT SAFETY BUFFER FOR LOCALIZED, GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.