What happened
A solo commercial pilot was operating under Title 14, CFR Part 91, attempting to land at a remote off-airport location. Prior to the flight, the pilot had hiked approximately one mile to the aircraft to disassemble a previous campsite and load equipment into the plane, with the intention of repositioning the aircraft near a recent hunting site.
A witness observed the pilot performing several low passes over the intended landing area. During the final approach, when the aircraft was approximately 100 feet above ground level, the airplane nosed down and struck the ground in a near-vertical attitude. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot was not injured.
Findings
The pilot stated that there were no mechanical problems with the aircraft prior to the accident. In a written statement to the NTSB, the pilot noted that his last memory was being on final approach to the site, but he had no recollection of the actual impact.