Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed resulting in an inadvertent stall and collision with the terrain.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The student pilot was conducting a takeoff on runway 32. He stated that 'the ground run took a little farther than normal.' he also said the rate of climb was less than normal. He elected to perform a precautionary landing on the airport. He said, '[while making] a shallow turn to land on the airport, it stalled and spun into the ground.' the airplane was not equipped with a stall warning system.
Source record
Factual narrative
On Tuesday, July 12, 1994, at 0715 eastern daylight time, a Freeman Pro-Star II, N43579, a homebuilt airplane, registered to and piloted by Myron Freeman, sustained substantial damage during a takeoff from the Sanford Municipal Airport, Sanford, Maine. The pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was operated under 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane departed from runway 32. The student pilot reported that "the ground run took a little farther than normal." He also stated that the rate of climb was "less than normal." He elected to perform a precautionary at the airport, and he initiated a turn back to the runway. He said, "It stalled and spun into the ground." The airplane was not equipped with a stall warning system. -