Accident Sequence
Before the flight, the flight instructor and student pilot discussed the takeoff direction. They chose runway 22 because the tailwind component on runway 4 was too strong. They also established a go/no-go location on the strip where they would abort if not airborne by that point.
The run-up was normal, and the takeoff proceeded normally. The airplane became airborne before the decision point and climbed out upslope. The student was flying when he indicated he might need help. The instructor observed that the airplane had stopped climbing and that a ridge was getting closer.
In response, they attempted a shallow bank to a direction 90 degrees from their original course. During this maneuver, the left wing dipped and they lost control. The airplane struck the ground: first the left wing tip, then the right wing, followed by the rest of the airplane. The instructor noted that they were slow and not very high, so there was little momentum before impact.
Post-accident Information
The instructor reported that the engine operated normally throughout the flight and there were no anomalies with the handling of the airplane. The calculated density altitude near the airport at the time of the accident was 8,675 feet.