On August 14, 2000, about 1630 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N82962, sustained substantial damage when it collided with terrain while maneuvering to land at an off airport landing site at the headwaters of the Sheenjek River, about 70 miles northeast of Arctic Village, Alaska, at 68 degrees, 56.3 minutes north latitude, 143 degrees, 39.1 minutes west longitude. The solo commercial pilot received serious injuries. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91, in support of the owner's hunting guide service. The flight departed another hunting camp, about two miles south of the accident site, about five minutes prior to the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a company VFR flight plan was filed. According to the pilot of the rescue helicopter which picked up the injured pilot, a witness said the airplane made a low pass over the intended landing site about 25 feet above ground level, and then turned downwind. The witness indicated the airplane then dropped to the ground. The witness stated the winds alternated between light, and gusting to 25 knots. The helicopter pilot told the NTSB investigator-in-charge that the airplane's left wing was bent upward, both main landing gear were deformed aft into the aft cabin, and the empennage was twisted and bent to the right. He also stated the pilot was wearing a seatbelt, shoulder harness, and helmet, at the time of the accident. The pilot told the NTSB investigator-in-charge, during a telephone interview on September 18, and wrote in his NTSB Pilot/Operator report, that he flew low across the intended landing site, pulled up and began his turn to return to land. He said that some flags tied to brush alongside the landing site were blowing in wind, and others were hanging limp. He said that during his low pass the airplane encountered a large gain, then loss, of airspeed. He said that as he made his turn, the airplane quit flying and one wing dropped. He described lowering the nose to attempt to increase airspeed, then pulling up just prior to contacting the ground. The pilot stated that after the accident, dust devils were visible in the area. The NTSB IIC interviewed the airplane's owner via telephone on August 16. The owner, who overflew the accident site within five minutes, had similar observations of the wind conditions at the accident site. The pilot was wearing a helmet, and was restrained by both lap belt and shoulder harnesses. He sustained compressive fractures of the spine, but no head injuries. His helmet was split open, and the forward-left cockpit tube cluster and instrument panel were dented.