What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot statement:
On June 28, 2025, at approximately 1330 PST, the aircraft departed palo alto for Tracy. All phases of the flight were normal. The aircraft landed at Tracy municipal airport at approximately 1402 PST. The pilot shut down the engine to refuel and, after approx. 10-15 minutes, conducted a full engine run-up. All systems appeared to be functioning normally, and no warning signs were observed.
The pilot departed Tracy attempting to perform a soft field takeoff. This was the first soft field takeoff the pilot had performed in privacy data omitted since its return from maintenance. This type of takeoff involves a different pitch attitude and acceleration profile than a standard rotation. Shortly after liftoff, the aircraft abruptly pitched up at a much steeper angle than expected. Almost immediately, it yawed sharply to the left and entered a left bank, causing the right wing to drop and stall. The pilot swiftly responded by applying full forward elevator pressure and full right rudder in an attempt to regain control and correct the deviation. However, rudder input was ineffective. The aircraft subsequently made contact with the ground.
The aircraft sustained substantial damage forward of the firewall. The pilot was not injured.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT STATEMENT:
ON JUNE 28, 2025, AT APPROXIMATELY 1330 PST, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED PALO ALTO FOR TRACY. ALL PHASES OF THE FLIGHT WERE NORMAL. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED AT TRACY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 1402 PST. THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE TO REFUEL AND, AFTER APPROX. 10-15 MINUTES, CONDUCTED A FULL ENGINE RUN-UP. ALL SYSTEMS APPEARED TO BE FUNCTIONING NORMALLY, AND NO WARNING SIGNS WERE OBSERVED.
THE PILOT DEPARTED TRACY ATTEMPTING TO PERFORM A SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF. THIS WAS THE FIRST SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF THE PILOT HAD PERFORMED IN ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SINCE ITS RETURN FROM MAINTENANCE. THIS TYPE OF TAKEOFF INVOLVES A DIFFERENT PITCH ATTITUDE AND ACCELERATION PROFILE THAN A STANDARD ROTATION. SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF, THE AIRCRAFT ABRUPTLY PITCHED UP AT A MUCH STEEPER ANGLE THAN EXPECTED. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, IT YAWED SHARPLY TO THE LEFT AND ENTERED A LEFT BANK, CAUSING THE RIGHT WING TO DROP AND STALL. THE PILOT SWIFTLY RESPONDED BY APPLYING FULL FORWARD ELEVATOR PRESSURE AND FULL RIGHT RUDDER IN AN ATTEMPT TO REGAIN CONTROL AND CORRECT THE DEVIATION. HOWEVER, RUDDER INPUT WAS INEFFECTIVE. THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND.
THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FORWARD OF THE FIREWALL. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.