Accident Details
An aircraft crashed shortly after departing from a dirt strip. According to the pilot, the aircraft was "over-gross" and would not climb. The pilot had selected full flaps for takeoff. When the aircraft failed to climb, he reached for the dump or load jettison handle but mistakenly grabbed the flap handle instead. By the time he recognized the error, the aircraft struck the ground and became engulfed in flames.
Pilot Statements
In a post-accident interview, the pilot stated that his checkout pilot had instructed him to use full flaps for takeoff. However, the checkout pilot denied giving such instruction.
Manual Recommendations
The aircraft flight manual recommends using only 10 degrees of flaps for short field takeoffs, with no mention of full flaps for any takeoff condition.
Probable Cause
The investigation report did not specify a probable cause in its findings.