What happened
The pilot taxied his aircraft to the upwind end of a private airstrip following a previous landing. He then commenced a takeoff roll in the downwind direction. Shortly after becoming airborne, the aircraft stalled and descended out of control back onto the runway. Following the impact, a post-crash fire destroyed the aircraft.
The investigation
A witness provided critical insight into the sequence of events. The witness stated that the pilot had forgotten to reset the elevator trim for takeoff after the aircraft came in for a landing. This oversight left the elevator trim set for the previous landing configuration, which contributed directly to the stall during the initial climb.
Findings
The primary factor was the pilot's failure to reset the elevator trim before takeoff. The aircraft stalled shortly after liftoff due to the incorrect trim setting. The crash resulted in the destruction of the aircraft by fire.
Safety message
Pilots must ensure that all flight controls, particularly the elevator trim, are correctly set for the current phase of flight before commencing takeoff.