What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot was part of a 10 aircraft Cub crafters high mountain exploration tour. All involved paid outfitter to provide details on airports, weather, lodging, and procedures. This is relevant because of the pressure to perform as the other pilots and the lack of training provided by outfitter to ensure all applicants were prepared for the density altitude issues.
Pilot departed gravel, hard pack runway at approximately 1:00 pm at elevation of 9300'. Density altitude at that time was approximately 11,600'.
Pilots aircraft reached takeoff speed around 400' down the runway and pilot rotated and immediately climbed out of ground effect without considering the effect of density altitude.
Pilots right wing stalled first and the aircraft then drifted to the right side of runway, impacting a small cluster of young aspen trees at approximately 30' in the air with his left wing.
Wing destroyed and plane immediately crashed down in a ditch on the right side of runway approximately 20' from impact site with trees.
Pilot and passenger both walked away with no injuries but aircraft was destroyed.
Pilot did report that gusty winds added to the issue.
Left wing showed signs of impact with aspen trees, propellers all shattered, nose cowling had twisting damage, gear collapsed underneath , right horizontal stabilizer torn off, and both fuel tanks punctured.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT WAS PART OF A 10 AIRCRAFT CUB CRAFTERS HIGH MOUNTAIN EXPLORATION TOUR. ALL INVOLVED PAID OUTFITTER TO PROVIDE DETAILS ON AIRPORTS, WEATHER, LODGING, AND PROCEDURES. THIS IS RELEVANT BECAUSE OF THE PRESSURE TO PERFORM AS THE OTHER PILOTS AND THE LACK OF TRAINING PROVIDED BY OUTFITTER TO ENSURE ALL APPLICANTS WERE PREPARED FOR THE DENSITY ALTITUDE ISSUES.
PILOT DEPARTED GRAVEL, HARD PACK RUNWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 1:00 PM AT ELEVATION OF 9300'. DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THAT TIME WAS APPROXIMATELY 11,600'.
PILOTS AIRCRAFT REACHED TAKEOFF SPEED AROUND 400' DOWN THE RUNWAY AND PILOT ROTATED AND IMMEDIATELY CLIMBED OUT OF GROUND EFFECT WITHOUT CONSIDERING THE EFFECT OF DENSITY ALTITUDE.
PILOTS RIGHT WING STALLED FIRST AND THE AIRCRAFT THEN DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF RUNWAY, IMPACTING A SMALL CLUSTER OF YOUNG ASPEN TREES AT APPROXIMATELY 30' IN THE AIR WITH HIS LEFT WING.
WING DESTROYED AND PLANE IMMEDIATELY CRASHED DOWN IN A DITCH ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF RUNWAY APPROXIMATELY 20' FROM IMPACT SITE WITH TREES.
PILOT AND PASSENGER BOTH WALKED AWAY WITH NO INJURIES BUT AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED.
PILOT DID REPORT THAT GUSTY WINDS ADDED TO THE ISSUE.
LEFT WING SHOWED SIGNS OF IMPACT WITH ASPEN TREES, PROPELLERS ALL SHATTERED, NOSE COWLING HAD TWISTING DAMAGE, GEAR COLLAPSED UNDERNEATH , RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER TORN OFF, AND BOTH FUEL TANKS PUNCTURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.