Amateur-built STOL CH701 N701MJ accident near Pulaski, Wisconsin

Probable cause

The pilot did not maintain control of the airplane during initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of recent flight experience.

NTSB analysis

The airplane veered to the left during initial climb after takeoff, narrowly cleared a tree line, and immediately entered a steep climb before leveling off. It subsequently entered a left turn and then a second steep climb. The airplane continued in the left turn until it entered a downward spiral and impacted the ground about 800 feet from the threshold of the departure runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any preimpact malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot, who was the builder of the experimental, amateur-built airplane, had logged no flight time in the 90 days preceding the accident and only 3 hours of flight time within the 6-month period immediately preceding the accident. Records indicated that this was the first flight of the airplane.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN11FA310 for the full record.