Accident Details
A private pilot and one passenger were on board an aircraft conducting a takeoff from a dirt strip. The runway dimensions were 4,000 feet long and 50 feet wide, and the pilot used 2,500 feet of its length for the takeoff. The density altitude was 9,200 feet. During the initial climb, the pilot detected a sink rate. He responded by adjusting the flap angle, varying it between 5 and 25 degrees, describing his action as being "in search of lift."
The aircraft climbed for about 350 feet from the point of liftoff before the right wing and right main landing gear struck a ridge. The impact caused the aircraft to pivot to the right, and it subsequently came to rest 35 feet from the point of collision.
Aircraft Damage
The fuselage was bent, and both wings were flexed upward as a result of the accident. No other damage was described.
Investigation
New Mexico State Police investigated the accident. During the investigation, they found a quantity of marijuana, less than one ounce, within the aircraft. The pilot refused to submit to a drug test. The report did not provide a probable cause for the accident.