Incident Overview
A pilot provided a written statement to the Safety Board investigator regarding an accident that occurred during a departure from runway 25. The pilot reported that gusty wind conditions were present at the time of the flight. After reaching 800 feet above ground level, the pilot initiated a turn onto the crosswind leg. During this maneuver, the left wing dropped.
Pilot Actions
The pilot stated that he recovered the airplane from the wing drop and added full throttle. Despite these inputs, the airplane continued to descend. The pilot then pulled back on the yoke in an attempt to initiate a climb, but the airplane did not respond as expected and continued its descent. Subsequently, the airplane impacted trees.
Damage and Inspection
The accident resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. An inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration examined the aircraft and found no mechanical anomalies that would have caused a loss of airplane control.
Weather Conditions
The nearest aviation weather reporting system, located at the airport, reported winds from 290 degrees at 16 knots, gusting to 21 knots.