Amateur-built 2 N729U accident near Cave Junction, Oregon

Probable cause

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

NTSB analysis

The pilot stated that he was departing at the time of the accident. As the airplane became airborne, it climbed to about 30 ft above ground level and the pilot was applying left rudder to counteract the torque from the engine. The airplane entered an aerodynamic stall and began an uncommanded left turn. The pilot did not have enough altitude to recover and the airplane continued to turn left. The right wing struck a tree and the airplane impacted the ground and came to rest upright.

The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. A postaccident examination revealed that there was no evidence of a mechanical malfunction and all control linkages were intact and operational.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR23LA243 for the full record.