Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a creek bank while maneuvering to land.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
According to the pilot, while on short final to land on a remote beach, he misjudged the airplane’s height above a creek bank. The landing gear contacted the bank, and subsequently, the right main gear leg separated, and the right wing contacted the ground, the airplane came to rest upright. The fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.