What happened
During a westbound departure from a private ranch airstrip, the pilot of a Cessna (type not specified) experienced an aerodynamic stall. The aircraft's flight path deviated from the runway, as indicated by ground tracks showing the plane veered to the left toward the south side of the runway.
As the aircraft moved off the usable portion of the 1,200 by 50-foot dirt and grass runway, it struck bushes on the south side. Evidence at the scene included broken twigs and branches on bushes located approximately 900 feet down the usable runway, with damage starting at a height of 6 feet. A red navigation lens was also recovered from this area.
The aircraft continued its path, impacting a stand of trees located approximately 370 feet southwest of the departure end of the airstrip. At the moment of impact, the aircraft was in a nose and left wing low attitude. The pilot was not injured.
The investigation
The investigation examined the runway environment, noting that the area was overgrown with bushes ranging from 6 to 20 feet in height. The eastern end of the runway featured a 100-foot uphill slope that appeared unusable. Investigators found that while some bushes at the departure end had been trimmed, other vegetation remained tall. No evidence of impact damage was found on the trees located 75 feet west of the runway end. An on-scene investigation of the aircraft and engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions.