Incident Summary
A pilot reported that while circling cattle at an altitude between 1,200 and 1,500 feet above ground level near a mountain range, the pilot-rated passenger was flying the airplane. During this maneuver, the passenger began a climb at a rate of 500 feet per minute.
Sequence of Events
The passenger stated that the airplane felt sluggish, prompting the pilot to take over the controls and apply full power. Despite this, airspeed decreased. The pilot then leveled the wings and lowered the nose to a level attitude. As airspeed continued to decrease, the pilot further lowered the nose and directed the airplane toward lower terrain.
The pilot stated that the airplane subsequently stalled, but he recovered from the stall prior to landing. During the landing roll on rough terrain, the airplane nosed over.