Accident Summary
During initial climb after takeoff, the private pilot reported leveling out and observing an increase in airspeed. Subsequently, the flight controls became mushy and the airplane began to sink. The pilot added flaps and verified the throttle position, but the airplane continued descending with increasingly mushy controls. The pilot then pushed the nose forward and retracted the flaps. The airplane descended, struck a ditch and a gravel road, and came to rest adjacent to a chain-linked fence.
Damage and Injuries
The accident resulted in both wings being bent downward and partially separated. Both main landing gear collapsed, and the fuselage sustained impact damage. The source does not specify any injuries or fatalities.
Pilot Statement and Investigation
The pilot stated that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions. A video of the accident corroborated the pilot's account. An examination by the National Transportation Safety Board investigator and Federal Aviation Administration inspectors revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operations.