What happened
The accident occurred during a training flight involving a soft field takeoff procedure. An instructor pilot, who was observing the operation from the ramp, reported that the student pilot appeared to maintain an excessive angle of attack during the initial climb phase. This error resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Following the stall, the aircraft lost controlled flight and impacted the ground on airport property. The point of impact was located approximately 1,000 feet from the beginning of the takeoff roll and roughly 75 feet to the left of the runway centerline. The student pilot later confirmed that he was attempting a soft field takeoff at the time of the incident.
The investigation
Investigation findings focused on the immediate cause of the loss of control. The primary factor identified was the excessive angle of attack maintained by the pilot during the critical phase of flight. This configuration exceeded the critical lift coefficient, leading to a stall. No mechanical failures or pre-accident anomalies were reported that would have contributed to the accident.
Findings
The investigation determined that the student pilot's failure to maintain proper pitch attitude during the soft field takeoff was the direct cause of the stall. The lack of adequate airspeed management relative to the angle of attack resulted in the loss of lift necessary to sustain flight.