What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot did not file a FAA flight plan, it is unknown if he received a weather briefing. Temperature at the airport was 96F, wind from the north-northwest at 9 knots. Field elevation ws 4517 feet. Density altitude at the time would have been approximately 7200 feet. The obstructing terrain to the north of the airport mandated a south departure. There were no witnesses to the takeoff roll, but at some point afterwards the aircraft appeared to be flying 20 feet above the runway. At the south end of the runway the aircraft pitched up into a climb attitude and continued pitching up until it was approximately 150 feet above the runway height, when it pitched up further and to the left, entering a spin. Power was retarded by the pilot after spin entry, full right aileron and right rudder were applied. The aircraft impacted with the left wingtip low and the fuselage nearly vertical. It bounced once and came to rest. The pilot had a current "flight guide" for airport data, his sectional chart was one year old, he had a current aviation medical and had a regulatory flight review one week earlier. Initial autopsy revealed no medical discrepancies. Report will be amended if additional information warrants.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT DID NOT FILE A FAA FLIGHT PLAN, IT IS UNKNOWN IF HE RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING. TEMPERATURE AT THE AIRPORT WAS 96F, WIND FROM THE NORTH-NORTHWEST AT 9 KNOTS. FIELD ELEVATION WS 4517 FEET. DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE TIME WOULD HAVE BEEN APPROXIMATELY 7200 FEET. THE OBSTRUCTING TERRAIN TO THE NORTH OF THE AIRPORT MANDATED A SOUTH DEPARTURE. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE TAKEOFF ROLL, BUT AT SOME POINT AFTERWARDS THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE FLYING 20 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY. AT THE SOUTH END OF THE RUNWAY THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED UP INTO A CLIMB ATTITUDE AND CONTINUED PITCHING UP UNTIL IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY HEIGHT, WHEN IT PITCHED UP FURTHER AND TO THE LEFT, ENTERING A SPIN. POWER WAS RETARDED BY THE PILOT AFTER SPIN ENTRY, FULL RIGHT AILERON AND RIGHT RUDDER WERE APPLIED. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED WITH THE LEFT WINGTIP LOW AND THE FUSELAGE NEARLY VERTICAL. IT BOUNCED ONCE AND CAME TO REST. THE PILOT HAD A CURRENT "FLIGHT GUIDE" FOR AIRPORT DATA, HIS SECTIONAL CHART WAS ONE YEAR OLD, HE HAD A CURRENT AVIATION MEDICAL AND HAD A REGULATORY FLIGHT REVIEW ONE WEEK EARLIER. INITIAL AUTOPSY REVEALED NO MEDICAL DISCREPANCIES. REPORT WILL BE AMENDED IF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WARRANTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.