What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircraft departed runway 31 and video evidence depicts that after rotation there was no positive gain in altitude. Video also shows the aircraft rose and dropped slightly several times and then proceeded to make a right-hand turn. The right hand turn spanned approximately 180 degrees resulting in the aircraft heading east. The aircraft's left wing contacted a ridge approximately 0.75 miles north of runway 31. After impact with the ridge, the aircraft tumbled and came to rest 30 yards on the other side below the elevated terrain and 15 yards from a residential home. Propeller debris indicates the engine was running at the time of impact, with the leading edges bent opposite the direction of rotation. A post crash fire occurred immediately following the event. All four corners of the aircraft are contained at the crash site. The detached left and right wings were parallel to the fuselage. Flight control continuity was confirmed at the elevator and rudder but unable to determine aileron or cockpit continuity due to fire damage. Propeller control continuity was confirmed at the propeller governor but unable to determine other engine control cable continuity due to damage. The aircraft was flown under a special flight permit and occupants in excess of required crew may have been onboard the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RUNWAY 31 AND VIDEO EVIDENCE DEPICTS THAT AFTER ROTATION THERE WAS NO POSITIVE GAIN IN ALTITUDE. VIDEO ALSO SHOWS THE AIRCRAFT ROSE AND DROPPED SLIGHTLY SEVERAL TIMES AND THEN PROCEEDED TO MAKE A RIGHT-HAND TURN. THE RIGHT HAND TURN SPANNED APPROXIMATELY 180 DEGREES RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT HEADING EAST. THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT WING CONTACTED A RIDGE APPROXIMATELY 0.75 MILES NORTH OF RUNWAY 31. AFTER IMPACT WITH THE RIDGE, THE AIRCRAFT TUMBLED AND CAME TO REST 30 YARDS ON THE OTHER SIDE BELOW THE ELEVATED TERRAIN AND 15 YARDS FROM A RESIDENTIAL HOME. PROPELLER DEBRIS INDICATES THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AT THE TIME OF IMPACT, WITH THE LEADING EDGES BENT OPPOSITE THE DIRECTION OF ROTATION. A POST CRASH FIRE OCCURRED IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE EVENT. ALL FOUR CORNERS OF THE AIRCRAFT ARE CONTAINED AT THE CRASH SITE. THE DETACHED LEFT AND RIGHT WINGS WERE PARALLEL TO THE FUSELAGE. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED AT THE ELEVATOR AND RUDDER BUT UNABLE TO DETERMINE AILERON OR COCKPIT CONTINUITY DUE TO FIRE DAMAGE. PROPELLER CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED AT THE PROPELLER GOVERNOR BUT UNABLE TO DETERMINE OTHER ENGINE CONTROL CABLE CONTINUITY DUE TO DAMAGE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLOWN UNDER A SPECIAL FLIGHT PERMIT AND OCCUPANTS IN EXCESS OF REQUIRED CREW MAY HAVE BEEN ONBOARD THE AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.