What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot flew towards a ridge on the leeward side trying to climb over the ridge. Altitude was 10,600 feet MSL. Pilot states he had good rate of climb until just shortly before getting to the ridge at which time the climb ceased and a descent began. Pilot continued to raise the nose to clear the ridge, heard stall warning horn and left wing dropped and nose lowered. Aircraft turned and impacted approximately 200 feet below the ridgeline parallel to the ridge. Pilot states aircraft was developing good power but that it just stopped climbing and began to descend. Pilot states he had flown that same route using that same technique a number of times in the past and that he was used to excellent performance from his aircraft especially when it was empty as it was at the time of the accident.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT FLEW TOWARDS A RIDGE ON THE LEEWARD SIDE TRYING TO CLIMB OVER THE RIDGE. ALTITUDE WAS 10,600 FEET MSL. PILOT STATES HE HAD GOOD RATE OF CLIMB UNTIL JUST SHORTLY BEFORE GETTING TO THE RIDGE AT WHICH TIME THE CLIMB CEASED AND A DESCENT BEGAN. PILOT CONTINUED TO RAISE THE NOSE TO CLEAR THE RIDGE, HEARD STALL WARNING HORN AND LEFT WING DROPPED AND NOSE LOWERED. AIRCRAFT TURNED AND IMPACTED APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET BELOW THE RIDGELINE PARALLEL TO THE RIDGE. PILOT STATES AIRCRAFT WAS DEVELOPING GOOD POWER BUT THAT IT JUST STOPPED CLIMBING AND BEGAN TO DESCEND. PILOT STATES HE HAD FLOWN THAT SAME ROUTE USING THAT SAME TECHNIQUE A NUMBER OF TIMES IN THE PAST AND THAT HE WAS USED TO EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE FROM HIS AIRCRAFT ESPECIALLY WHEN IT WAS EMPTY AS IT WAS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.