What happened
Approximately five minutes after departing on a local flight, witnesses observed a decrease in engine power and noted the nose of the aircraft dropping. The aircraft subsequently descended and crashed into wooded terrain. One witness reported that immediately prior to impact, the pilot was performing stall practice at an altitude of approximately 1,000 feet AGL.
The pilot had received his private pilot certificate on the previous day and had a total flight time of approximately 68 hours. At the time of the accident, the aircraft's estimated gross weight was 1,740 lbs, which exceeded its maximum certified weight of 1,670 lbs.
The investigation
An examination of the engine revealed that the bottom spark plugs were lead fouled, though the top spark plugs showed normal color and wear. During the inspection of the propeller, one blade was found to be bent in an 'S' shape and exhibited chordwise scrape marks. Additionally, cut branches were observed at the site where the aircraft entered the trees during the impact.