What happened
A private pilot and one passenger were conducting a local pleasure flight near an area where approximately 70 people were gathered for a picnic. During the flight, the aircraft was observed flying at a low altitude and slow airspeed, passing approximately 100 yards in front of the picnic attendees.
Following this observation, the aircraft pitched up, performed a sharp roll to the right, and entered a descending right-hand turn. The aircraft subsequently collided with terrain while in a nose-down attitude. There were no reported fatalities or injuries associated with the impact.
Findings
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions present on the aircraft during the flight. According to the pilot, the accident occurred because he inadvertently stalled the airplane while performing a climb. At the time of the accident, the pilot had accumulated a total of 166 flight hours, with only 6 hours of experience in this specific make and model.