Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s inability to maintain climb performance and clearance from terrain due to the airplane’s encounter with windshear during takeoff.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot reported he was attempting to depart from a remote 2,040 ft long airstrip. During the initial climb, the airplane encountered windshear, and the pilot noticed that the vertical speed indicator depicted a decreasing climb rate. The pilot determined that the airplane was unable to out climb the terrain due to the windshear and opted for a straight-ahead forced landing. The airplane landed in a three-point configuration in tall, thick sagebrush and eventually nosed over, coming to rest inverted. Both wings and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.