Incident Overview
During takeoff, a witness observed the aircraft appearing to be out of control. The aircraft entered a nose-high attitude and then fell. The pilot managed to recover before the aircraft struck the ground, but the airplane subsequently oscillated in altitude until it was out of the line of sight. Later, the aircraft collided with rocky terrain on airport property approximately one-quarter mile from the end of the runway and was destroyed.
Witness Account
According to the witness report, the aircraft seemed uncontrollable from the start of the takeoff roll. The nose-high attitude was followed by a descent, which the pilot corrected. However, the altitude continued to vary wildly until the aircraft disappeared from view. No further details were provided regarding weather or ATC communications.
Investigation Findings
An investigation into the accident revealed that the pilot had two cardboard boxes filled with jars of honey aboard the aircraft. Both boxes had been placed on the right seat next to the pilot. One box remained fastened to the seat by the seat belt, while the other box had been thrown forward. The investigator was unable to determine whether the dislodged box had shifted before impact or during the collision. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact with the rocky terrain.