What happened
The incident occurred during a local training sortie at Brantford Airport. Shortly after liftoff, while the aircraft was in the initial climb phase, it executed a steep turn to the left. The nose dropped significantly, causing the airplane to side-slip into the terrain. Upon impact, the aircraft landed on its port wing before cartwheeling and coming to rest on its back approximately 100 feet from the point of first contact with the ground. The airframe was destroyed in the crash, and all three crew members were killed.
Findings
The official investigation attributed the accident to an error of judgment by the pilot acting as the safety officer during an instrument takeoff exercise. This individual allowed the student pilot to enter a difficult aerodynamic position while still near the ground. The failure to assume control and execute a timely recovery from this unstable state prevented the avoidance of the crash.