Incident Overview
After takeoff, the pilot observed the tachometer indicating 2,100 RPM and the airspeed at 45-50 miles per hour. He perceived the climb performance as less than normal while reaching 500 feet above ground level (AGL), at which point he initiated a climbing right turn to enter the crosswind leg.
Stall and Descent
During the turn, the pilot noticed the altitude decreasing and attempted to recover from the descent. At approximately 400 feet AGL, he felt the airplane sink and begin to stall, which he attributed to a downdraft. He lowered the nose to recover from the stall, but the airplane subsequently impacted trees.
Environmental and Mechanical Factors
The density altitude at the time was 2,867 feet. No mechanical anomalies were found with the airplane during post-incident examination.