Incident Details
The aircraft crashed in a wooded area shortly after departing Runway 21 at Grand Canyon National Park Airport (GCN). The pilot had made a precautionary landing at GCN during a cross-country flight to Page, Arizona. The pilot called a Flight Service Station (FSS) after being unable to establish contact in-flight, and Prescott FSS recommended that the flight be delayed until morning. The pilot stated he had a reservation and would lose $100 if he did not get to Page, "even though it's dangerous." The pilot then elected to proceed after speaking with another pilot who stated the weather at Page was fine.
Pilot Actions
The pilot reported that the takeoff was normal, but as the aircraft traveled down the runway, it seemed to stop climbing. The pilot then lost all outside visual reference and attempted to keep the wings level while maintaining airspeed. The pilot does not recall the aircraft contacting trees.
Environmental Conditions
Local pilots reported that on moonless nights, a pilot must rely on instruments to maintain control of the aircraft during departures on Runway 21 due to a lack of visual references. The condition was described as "flying into a black hole."