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Root Ranch, ID
Shortly after takeoff, prior to reaching 500 feet AGL, the pilot lost control of the aircraft and struck trees. After striking trees, the aircraft then impacted the ground and exploded into flames. Witnesses stated that from the time of rotation to the time control was lost in-flight, an extreme nose high attitude was maintained. Witnesses stated that they saw the left wing drop, as if the pilot had made an intentional left turn or that a departure stall had occurred. There was a severe post-impact fire along with destruction of the aircraft's systems. The aircraft's engine and turbocharging system was examined and torn down with no abnormalities found. No mechanical reason for the nose high attitude or loss of control in-flight could be determined. Airstrip elevation was 5650 feet, and density altitude about 7000 feet. The aircraft's weight was below max gross weight and CG was within limits. This was the second flight of the day for the pilot and pax.
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, PRIOR TO REACHING 500 FEET AGL, THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND STRUCK TREES. AFTER STRIKING TREES THE AIRCRAFT THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND AND EXPLODED INTO FLAMES. WITNESSES STATED THAT FROM THE TIME OF ROTATION TO THE TIME CONTROL WAS LOST IN-FLIGHT AN EXTREME NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE WAS MAINTAINED. WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY SAW THE LEFT WING DROP, AS IF THE PILOT HAD MADE AN INTENTIONAL LEFT TURN OR THAT A DEPARTURE STALL HAD OCCURRED. THERE WAS A SEVERE POST-IMPACT FIRE ALONG WITH DESTRUCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT'S SYSTEMS. THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE AND TURBOCHARGING SYSTEM WAS EXAMINED AND TORN DOWN WITH NO ABNORMALITIES FOUND. NO MECHANICAL REASON FOR THE NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE OR LOSS OF CONTROL IN-FLIGHT COULD BE DETERMINED. AIRSTRIP ELEV WAS 5650 FEET, AND DENSITY ALT ABOUT 7000 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT'S WEIGHT WAS BELOW MAX GROSS WEIGHT AND CG WAS WITHIN LIMITS. THIS WAS THE SECOND FLIGHT OF THE DAY FOR THE PILOT AND PAX.