Accident Overview
Following takeoff from Runway 1, the aircraft was observed entering a steep climb into the clouds. Subsequently, the aircraft crashed in a near-vertical attitude approximately three-quarters of a mile from the runway on a bearing of 050 degrees.
Findings
During the examination of the wreckage, the control lock pin flag was located in the vicinity of the control column, but the pin itself was missing. When installed, the control lock pin locks the elevator 12 degrees down and the aileron 8 degrees with the right aileron up.
Inspection of the elevator trim motor gears revealed damage: a broken tooth on the drive gear and a series of marked teeth on the driver gear. The elevator trim tab was found in the maximum deflection position, with the tab full-up. The elevator trim motor operates over specific time intervals: 57.5 seconds from neutral to full up, 27 seconds from neutral to full down, and 67 seconds from full up to full down.
The left propeller blades were bent aft about the blade faces, with some chordwise scrapes observed. The propeller had separated from the engine drive shaft under a torsion and bending load.