On November 11, 2012, about 1145 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172P, N65835, collided with terrain during the initial climb following takeoff from Mel's Ranch Airport (AZ78) near Maricopa, Arizona. Sunrise Aviation was operating the rental airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot sustained minor injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage from impact forces. The cross-country personal flight was departing with a planned destination of Santa Ana, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.The pilot reported that the airplane lifted off about 300 feet from the end of runway 27; the runway surface was dirt, and it was 2,400 feet long. Shortly after takeoff, the airplane pitched up; the airplane stalled, and the left wing dropped. The pilot was unable to recover prior to the airplane contacting the ground. The airplane came to rest about 600 feet from the end of runway.

A post-accident examination of the airframe revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.