Accident Overview
On July 24, 2021, about 0715 central daylight time, a Piper PA-18-150 airplane, registration N83411, was substantially damaged when it struck trees near Larimore, North Dakota. The pilot sustained serious injuries; the passenger was not injured. The airplane was being operated as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Pilot Report
The pilot stated that the preflight inspection, engine run-up, and initial takeoff roll were normal. Immediately after lifting off, however, the airplane began to turn left and did not respond to control inputs as expected. The pilot applied opposite rudder and aileron in an attempt to correct the turn, but the airplane continued left. With the engine at full power, the climb rate deteriorated, leading the pilot to believe the airplane might stall. He recalled pulling back on the controls just before the airplane impacted trees.
Examination
The airplane came to rest in a nose-down attitude within the tree line, oriented on a southeast heading. The impact point was about 100 yards southwest of the arrival threshold of runway 30. The fuselage and both wings sustained damage. A postaccident examination found continuity of flight controls with no evidence of any preimpact control anomaly.