Incident Overview
During a cattle herding operation, the pilot was spotting cattle from the air. He observed two cows with calves in a cove of a canyon that ground personnel were leaving behind. The pilot stated that he made a sharp turn and flew over the cows to show their location to riders on the ground. He then entered a climb and started a turn to leave the area when the aircraft 'just dropped.'
Recovery and Collision
As the pilot attempted to recover, 'the airplane flattened out just off the ground.' Subsequently, the left wing dropped and contacted the ground. The aircraft then cartwheeled into a canyon and came to rest upside down.
Occupants and Casualties
The pilot escaped injury. A dog that was aboard the aircraft was killed.
Site Information
The elevation of the crash site was approximately 4,500 feet.