What happened
The pilot departed with three passengers and a full fuel load. During the initial climb, the pilot configured the aircraft with 10 degrees of flaps and leaned the mixture by pulling the control aft one inch, following his previous training.
A witness observed the aircraft flying at a low altitude and low airspeed, noting that the nose was positioned approximately 45 degrees above the horizon. The observer reported that the plane appeared to be struggling to gain altitude as it flew toward rising terrain. During this phase of flight, the left wing dropped, leading the aircraft to impact a golf course. There were no fatalities reported in the accident.
Findings
Investigation into the flight conditions revealed that the aircraft was operating at a density altitude of 7,654 feet MSL. Calculations determined that the aircraft was approximately 122 pounds over its maximum gross weight.