FTW83LA135

The passenger was in the back seat with a 35 mm camera, a pocket camera, a pair of binoculars in a case and a windbreaker. While flying at dusk, they flew by a herd of deer, but the passenger did not get a photograph. Reportedly, the plt made a 180 deg turn & made a 2nd pass toward rising terrain. The plt stated that he was slightly below a crest when he applied back pressure on the control stick but the stick would not move aft. He believed that one of the passenger's cameras became wedged between the rear seat & the rear control stick. He further stated that the top of one of the cameras was damaged. The passenger stated that the pocket camera 'must have fallen out of my pocket in the crash.' According to him, he heard scraping noises, which he believed were trees hitting the acft; then saw the stick come back before the noises became louder & harder. Subsequently, the acft crashed beyond the crest. Reportedly, the plt was unconscious & blocked the door for a short time after the acft came to rest.