PZL 104 WILGA N65ZA accident near Austin, Nevada

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain an appropriate descent rate during the base to final turn, which resulted in a forced landing, and an intentional aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's excessive braking, which resulted in a nose over and substantial damage to the empennage.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that he was landing atop a backcountry mountain ridge at an elevation of 10,250 feet. The airplane was configured with full flaps and on left base to final turn and the wing blocked his view of the ridge. The pilot reported that in the turn to final he had descended "a couple hundred feet lower" than he should have and when the ridge came into view, he realized he was too low, the airplane would not be able to climb over the ridge, and that he was forced to continue the landing. The pilot further reported that he intentionally aerodynamically stalled the airplane before landing, which resulted in the tail wheel impacting the ground first, then the main landing gear. According to the pilot, to keep the airplane from falling off the edge of the cliff, he "locked up" the brakes, which resulted in a nose over.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage.

The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA16CA444 for the full record.