What happened
The flight was traveling toward a destination located in a mountain valley. After sightseeing on the southwest side of the valley, the pilot began heading north toward a town where the intention was to land and stay overnight.
Approximately 3 miles south of the town, the aircraft crossed a small ridge, placing the aircraft at an altitude of about 500 feet AGL. While observing corrals on the ground, the pilot performed a 360-degree turn. During this maneuver, the pilot noted a slight increase in airspeed. As the aircraft rolled out onto a northerly heading, it suddenly felt as though it had stalled, leading to a rapid descent.
The pilot lowered the nose and flared the aircraft while approaching the ground. The aircraft subsequently landed flat, which caused the landing gear to break off. Shortly after the impact, heavy rain, lightning, and very gusty surface winds moved into the area.
At the time of the event, the density altitude was calculated to be approximately 7,500 feet, based on the pressure altitude and temperature from a weather station located 15 miles east of the site. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures prior to the aircraft making contact with the ground.
Findings
The pilot and passenger were not injured.