McCarthy, AK, USA
N171Q
CESSNA 172
The pilot reported that the off-field takeoff from sloping tundra, on top of a mesa, was uneventful. The left wing stalled in turbulent air, as the airplane was building airspeed to climb, and then the left wing struck the ground. The airplane cartwheeled onto the nose and came to rest about 200 yards downslope from the top of the mesa. The left wing, empennage, and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during takeoff in turbulent weather conditions.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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