Accident Overview
A certificated airline transport pilot was conducting a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight to deliver a load of wooden roofing shakes to a friend's remote lodge. Shortly after takeoff, the airplane reached about 200 to 300 feet above the ground when it abruptly pitched up approximately 70 degrees and drifted to the right. The airplane continued turning right as the nose lowered momentarily. At a very slow airspeed, the landing gear extended. The nose pitched up again, the right wing dropped, and the airplane descended. One witness described the descent as "The wings rocked back and forth as it descended, like a card in the wind, with the nose of the airplane slightly higher." The airplane impacted shallow water in an area of tidal mud flats.
Investigation Findings
A postaccident investigation determined that the estimated gross weight at takeoff was 11,500.8 pounds, which exceeded the airplane's maximum takeoff gross weight by 1,400.8 pounds. The airplane's center of gravity could not be calculated because the exact location or station of the cargo could not be determined. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomalies.