What happened
During the initial leg of a positioning flight, an experimental, amateur built, tail-wheel turboprop aircraft experienced a runway excursion. While attempting to land, the pilot touched down to the right of the runway centerline, causing the aircraft to veer off the right side of the paved surface. In an effort to execute an aborted landing, the pilot applied engine power to regain flight. This maneuver caused the aircraft to lift off the runway, but it subsequently pitched up to a steep angle, leading to an aerodynamic stall and a subsequent impact with the ground.
No fatalities were reported in the accident, though the aircraft was destroyed. A post-crash fire occurred, consuming much of the wreckage.
Findings
Investigations into the wreckage found no evidence of mechanical failure contributing to the accident. However, the pitch trim actuator was found in the full nose-up landing position. Had the pilot not corrected this setting, the aircraft would have maintained a steep nose-up attitude during the climb-out phase. While the pilot possessed approximately 1,930 total flight hours, they had only completed 5 hours of flight time in this specific make and model.