Amateur-built 701 N701MG accident near Big Lake, Alaska

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering at a low altitude, which resulted in a stall and subsequent spin from which he could not recover.

NTSB analysis

The pilot departed a private runway and subsequently crashed in an area of sparsely populated dead spruce trees. The airplane collided with the ground in a left-wing, nose-low attitude, and impact damage was consistent with a near-vertical descent, indicating that an aerodynamic stall occurred. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine and a test run of the engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Given the lack of mechanical deficiencies with the airplane and engine and the airplane damage, it is likely that the pilot inadvertently stalled the airplane at a low altitude and was unable to recover.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ANC13FA095 for the full record.