What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23)Witnesses stated the a/c appeared to make a normal takeoff on runway 24. The a/c climbed to approx. 300 feet AGL and abruptly nosed down impacting the ground in a near vertical attitude. PIC had not flown make and model for 22 months. It was estimated a/c was at gross weight at time of accident. Density altitude estimated at 4500MSL. Winds estimated as 8 knots quartering tail wind. Student pilot occupied left seat at time of accident. PIC occupied right seat. (.4)several minutes prior to the accident flight, the pilot flew a solo familiarization flight in the accident airplane. During the solo flight, he departed runway 6 and returned uneventfully. The pilot then boarded three passengers for a scenic flight, and observed that the wind was not favoring either runway, as it was from the northwest, about 330 degrees at 10-12 knots. The airplane was near the maximum gross weight, and the density altitude at the airport was approximately 4,068 feet MSL. Trees and a house were at the departure end of the 3,000-foot long runway. The pilot taxied to runway 24, and several minutes later, performed a short field takeoff. A witness stated that the winds were from the northeast when the accident flight departed. As the airplane lifted off, the pilot observed the windsock again. He then realized that the wind was favoring runway 6; however, he continued the takeoff. The pilot tried to avoid a house, and the airplane stalled to the left.
As the FAA filed it
(-23)WITNESSES STATED THE A/C APPEARED TO MAKE A NORMAL TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 24. THE A/C CLIMBED TO APPROX. 300 FEET AGL AND ABRUPTLY NOSED DOWN IMPACTING THE GROUND IN A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE. PIC HAD NOT FLOWN MAKE AND MODEL FOR 22 MONTHS. IT WAS ESTIMATED A/C WAS AT GROSS WEIGHT AT TIME OF ACCIDENT. DENSITY ALTITUDE ESTIMATED AT 4500MSL. WINDS ESTIMATED AS 8 KNOTS QUARTERING TAIL WIND. STUDENT PILOT OCCUPIED LEFT SEAT AT TIME OF ACCIDENT. PIC OCCUPIED RIGHT SEAT. (.4)SEVERAL MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, THE PILOT FLEW A SOLO FAMILIARIZATION FLIGHT IN THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE. DURING THE SOLO FLIGHT, HE DEPARTED RUNWAY 6 AND RETURNED UNEVENTFULLY. THE PILOT THEN BOARDED THREE PASSENGERS FOR A SCENIC FLIGHT, AND OBSERVED THAT THE WIND WAS NOT FAVORING EITHER RUNWAY, AS IT WAS FROM THE NORTHWEST, ABOUT 330 DEGREES AT 10-12 KNOTS. THE AIRPLANE WAS NEAR THE MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT, AND THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE AIRPORT WAS APPROXIMATELY 4,068 FEET MSL. TREES AND A HOUSE WERE AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE 3,000-FOOT LONG RUNWAY. THE PILOT TAXIED TO RUNWAY 24, AND SEVERAL MINUTES LATER, PERFORMED A SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE WINDS WERE FROM THE NORTHEAST WHEN THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT DEPARTED. AS THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF, THE PILOT OBSERVED THE WINDSOCK AGAIN. HE THEN REALIZED THAT THE WIND WAS FAVORING RUNWAY 6; HOWEVER, HE CONTINUED THE TAKEOFF. THE PILOT TRIED TO AVOID A HOUSE, AND THE AIRPLANE STALLED TO THE LEFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.