Accident Overview
During the initial climb after a night takeoff, the airplane was observed to stall, enter a spin, and impact the ground in a nose-down attitude. The aircraft, a 4-seat model, was carrying five persons at the time of the accident.
Examination Findings
Post-accident examination of the airplane and its engine revealed no preimpact mechanical discrepancies. An estimate of the airplane's weight and balance placed it within allowable limits, despite carrying five occupants in a 4-seat configuration.
Pilot Information
The pilot held commercial and instrument ratings and had accumulated 201 hours of flight experience in this specific make and model of airplane.
Weather Conditions
Weather conditions at the time were reported as bright night visual meteorological conditions, with clear skies, visibility of 15 miles, and the moon at 29 degrees above the horizon with 59% illumination.
Medical Findings
An autopsy performed on the 22-year-old pilot found a 70% narrowing of the atrioventricular (AV) nodal artery. Forensic pathologists noted that a single focus of inflammation with myocyte necrosis did not warrant a diagnosis of myocarditis as a cause of sudden death, as such findings may also be observed in non-cardiac deaths. They were unable to identify ischemic changes in the myocardium.