What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) After departing on a grass strip, aircraft climbed approximately 150 feet, appeared to stall, and impacted a field. (.4) the pilot completed a landing to a 1,600-foot long grass airstrip. After landing, he taxied to the end of the runway, turned around, and prepared to make a short field take-off. The pilot set the flaps to 25 degrees, applied full power, pulled the yoke to the full aft position, and began the take-off roll. The airplane came off the ground about 1,200 feet down the runway. The pilot rated passenger stated the pilot 'pulled the aircraft up too much' after take-off, and the 'nose got too high.' He also stated, the stall warning light 'flickered' after passing over the departure end of the runway. The pilot stated there was not enough airspeed to maintain lift, and he turned the airplane to the left and landed hard in a field adjacent to the runway. The terrain rose about 1,500 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. The passenger stated that the rising terrain 'could be very deceiving', because from the take-off end of the runway, the terrain appeared closer than it actually was. Examination of the airplane revealed there were no mechanical deficiencies.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AFTER DEPARTING ON A GRASS STRIP, AIRCRAFT CLIMBED APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET, APPEARED TO STALL, AND IMPACTED A FIELD. (.4) THE PILOT COMPLETED A LANDING TO A 1,600-FOOT LONG GRASS AIRSTRIP. AFTER LANDING, HE TAXIED TO THE END OF THE RUNWAY, TURNED AROUND, AND PREPARED TO MAKE A SHORT FIELD TAKE-OFF. THE PILOT SET THE FLAPS TO 25 DEGREES, APPLIED FULL POWER, PULLED THE YOKE TO THE FULL AFT POSITION, AND BEGAN THE TAKE-OFF ROLL. THE AIRPLANE CAME OFF THE GROUND ABOUT 1,200 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT RATED PASSENGER STATED THE PILOT 'PULLED THE AIRCRAFT UP TOO MUCH' AFTER TAKE-OFF, AND THE 'NOSE GOT TOO HIGH.' HE ALSO STATED, THE STALL WARNING LIGHT 'FLICKERED' AFTER PASSING OVER THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH AIRSPEED TO MAINTAIN LIFT, AND HE TURNED THE AIRPLANE TO THE LEFT AND LANDED HARD IN A FIELD ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. THE TERRAIN ROSE ABOUT 1,500 FEET BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PASSENGER STATED THAT THE RISING TERRAIN 'COULD BE VERY DECEIVING', BECAUSE FROM THE TAKE-OFF END OF THE RUNWAY, THE TERRAIN APPEARED CLOSER THAN IT ACTUALLY WAS. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.