What happened
The aircraft was taxied directly to the runway for takeoff after it was hand-propped to start the engine. A witness who assisted with the startup observed that the aircraft climbed at an angle of approximately 70 degrees immediately after leaving the ground. The plane then stalled and dove nose-first into the terrain.
The witness noted that engine sounds remained constant throughout the flight, indicating the engine was operating normally. Upon reaching the crash site, the witness discovered that the aft control stick was tied in the full aft position by the rear seat belt. The pilot confirmed this condition occurred because she performed an incomplete preflight inspection. She admitted to skipping critical takeoff and control movement checks.
The pilot stated that her departure was hurried because she was distracted by another aircraft taxiing nearby. She rushed her departure to avoid delaying the other traffic, which led to the oversight of the secured controls.