What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
After beginning the slightly downwind (3 mph) takeoff roll, the pilot became airborne and indicated the aircraft was tree top level near mid-field. Density altitude was calculated to be approximately 1900 feet MSL and the strip is 2200 feet long. Given description of contents made by the pilot and passenger, the aircraft was believed to be at maximum gross weight.
Once the aircraft was at tree top level, the aircrafts performance degraded and was unable to climb. As the end up the runway neared, the pilot indicated that he pulled back harder on the yoke attempting to gain altitude until he finally added full flaps attempting to "slow the aircraft to cushion the fall". The aircraft made contact with the trees at the north end of the runway and was subsequently destroyed by the post crash fire.
As the FAA filed it
AFTER BEGINNING THE SLIGHTLY DOWNWIND (3 MPH) TAKEOFF ROLL, THE PILOT BECAME AIRBORNE AND INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS TREE TOP LEVEL NEAR MID-FIELD. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS CALCULATED TO BE APPROXIMATELY 1900 FEET MSL AND THE STRIP IS 2200 FEET LONG. GIVEN DESCRIPTION OF CONTENTS MADE BY THE PILOT AND PASSENGER, THE AIRCRAFT WAS BELIEVED TO BE AT MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT.
ONCE THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT TREE TOP LEVEL, THE AIRCRAFTS PERFORMANCE DEGRADED AND WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB. AS THE END UP THE RUNWAY NEARED, THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE PULLED BACK HARDER ON THE YOKE ATTEMPTING TO GAIN ALTITUDE UNTIL HE FINALLY ADDED FULL FLAPS ATTEMPTING TO "SLOW THE AIRCRAFT TO CUSHION THE FALL". THE AIRCRAFT MADE CONTACT WITH THE TREES AT THE NORTH END OF THE RUNWAY AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DESTROYED BY THE POST CRASH FIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N2746D · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.