What happened
Shortly after departing from a private grass airstrip, the pilot of the aircraft encountered an unidentified problem. In response, the pilot attempted a precautionary or forced landing in the only nearby level and flat open area available. During this maneuver, while the aircraft was in a landing configuration and traveling at a very low airspeed, the left wing made contact with the level terrain.
Upon impact with the ground, the aircraft transitioned into a cartwheel motion, striking the ground nose-first. The aircraft came to a final stop approximately 12 feet beyond the initial point of nose impact. There were no fatalities reported in this accident.
The investigation
The investigation examined the airframe, engine, and flight controls of the aircraft. No anomalies were discovered in these systems that would explain why a forced landing was necessary or provide a reason for the wing tip contacting the terrain. It remained undetermined whether the pilot lost control during the final stage of the landing sequence or if the wing tip touched the ground while performing a low-level turn to align the aircraft parallel to an upcoming ditch just before touchdown.