Bellanca 8KCAB N5038E accident near Larchwood, Iowa

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain proper airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during initial climb after takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with the ground.

NTSB analysis

The passenger stated they were taking off from a paved taxiway at a private airstrip when the airplane pitched up higher than normal and stalled. He recalled that the pilot told him that they were stalling. The airplane descended and impacted the terrain adjacent to the taxiway. Impact signatures were consistent with a low-energy impact indicative of an aerodynamic stall. The fuselage and wings sustained substantial damage.

The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Postaccident examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact anomalies with the airframe, fuel, system, flight controls, or engine that would have resulted in the loss of control.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN23LA205 for the full record.