What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Unable to clear trees on climbout. Stalled nose high into same. Type somewhat under powered. Warm day. (.19) on June 17, 1995, at 1415 eastern daylight time, a Grumman AA1C, N9980U was substantially damaged following a collision with terrain during takeoff at Mocksville, north carolina. The airline transport pilot was not injured in the accident. The aircraft was being operated under the provisions of CFR part 91 by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight. The flight was destined for lincolnton, north carolina. The pilot stated that he was departing runway 09. He said the aircraft accelerated to about 65 knots, but would not climb sufficiently to clear the tall trees at the departure end of the runway. He reported that the engine seemed to be operating normally.
As the FAA filed it
UNABLE TO CLEAR TREES ON CLIMBOUT. STALLED NOSE HIGH INTO SAME. TYPE SOMEWHAT UNDER POWERED. WARM DAY. (.19) ON JUNE 17, 1995, AT 1415 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A GRUMMAN AA1C, N9980U WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED FOLLOWING A COLLISION WITH TERRAIN DURING TAKEOFF AT MOCKSVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT WAS NOT INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF CFR PART 91 BY THE PILOT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED AT THE TIME, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT WAS DESTINED FOR LINCOLNTON, NORTH CAROLINA. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS DEPARTING RUNWAY 09. HE SAID THE AIRCRAFT ACCELERATED TO ABOUT 65 KNOTS, BUT WOULD NOT CLIMB SUFFICIENTLY TO CLEAR THE TALL TREES AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. HE REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE SEEMED TO BE OPERATING NORMALLY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.