What happened
The flight originated from an airport where the pilot elected to use one notch of flaps, commonly referred to as half flaps, for the takeoff roll on runway 34. At the time of departure, meteorological data indicated a wind direction of 160 degrees at a speed of 6 knots. As the aircraft climbed and passed over the departure end of the runway, it exhibited a noticeable loss of lift, described by the pilot as beginning to sag.
Recognizing the inability to maintain altitude or continue the climb, the pilot initiated an emergency procedure. The objective was to avoid a ditch located in the vicinity. To achieve this, the pilot intentionally forced the aircraft onto the ground in an adjacent field. During this maneuver, the pilot crossed the controls to manage the descent and impact.
Findings
Post-accident analysis revealed that the density altitude at the time of the event was computed to be 7,690 feet mean sea level. This high density altitude likely contributed to the reduced performance of the aircraft during the critical climb phase after takeoff.