What happened
Shortly after takeoff, the pilot requested clearance to return to the airport for an emergency landing. Witnesses reported that the aircraft struggled to maintain altitude, appearing to pitch up and down erratically. Tower controllers observed that the plane never climbed higher than 300 feet above ground level.
The aircraft touched down hard approximately 500 feet from the approach end of the runway. It bounced twice more before coming to rest inverted on a parallel taxiway, about 3,500 feet from the approach end and 300 feet to the right of the centerline. The aircraft burst into flames upon impact.
Findings
The investigation revealed that the aircraft was approximately 435 pounds over its maximum gross weight limit at the time of the incident. Additionally, the center of gravity was located 1.3 inches aft of the rear limit, contributing to the loss of control and subsequent crash.