What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircraft was completing a launcher test when the aircraft experienced a stall shortly after launch. Aircraft was at max takeoff weight (220LBS). The launch appeared normal, with a positive rate of climb and increasing airspeed. Within a minute of takeoff, after initiating its cross-wind turn, the autopilot (vigilant spirit (vs)) had "froze," and the aircraft stalled after it had climbed to approximately 180 feet AGL before it began its return for a planned immediate landing. The aircraft slowly descended into a nearby orchard. Given its altitude, distance, and at mgtow, there was insufficient time or opportunity to make any corrective control inputs to recover the aircraft.
Initial root cause investigation suggests the max takeoff weight was improperly inputted into the autopilot thus causing it operate with a lower stall speed than required. Aati will be updating its checklist and training pilots and launch crew on proper inputs to mitigate this incident from occurring again.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCRAFT WAS COMPLETING A LAUNCHER TEST WHEN THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A STALL SHORTLY AFTER LAUNCH. AIRCRAFT WAS AT MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT (220LBS). THE LAUNCH APPEARED NORMAL, WITH A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB AND INCREASING AIRSPEED. WITHIN A MINUTE OF TAKEOFF, AFTER INITIATING ITS CROSS-WIND TURN, THE AUTOPILOT (VIGILANT SPIRIT (VS)) HAD "FROZE," AND THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AFTER IT HAD CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 180 FEET AGL BEFORE IT BEGAN ITS RETURN FOR A PLANNED IMMEDIATE LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT SLOWLY DESCENDED INTO A NEARBY ORCHARD. GIVEN ITS ALTITUDE, DISTANCE, AND AT MGTOW, THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT TIME OR OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE ANY CORRECTIVE CONTROL INPUTS TO RECOVER THE AIRCRAFT.
INITIAL ROOT CAUSE INVESTIGATION SUGGESTS THE MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT WAS IMPROPERLY INPUTTED INTO THE AUTOPILOT THUS CAUSING IT OPERATE WITH A LOWER STALL SPEED THAN REQUIRED. AATI WILL BE UPDATING ITS CHECKLIST AND TRAINING PILOTS AND LAUNCH CREW ON PROPER INPUTS TO MITIGATE THIS INCIDENT FROM OCCURRING AGAIN.