The sole-occupant pilot sustained minor injuries when his Quest Kodiak 100 stalled and crashed during a day VMC takeoff at Sheridan County Airport, Sheridan, Wyo., on October 9 at about 12:30 p.m. MDT. Registered as N153RW, the single-engine turboprop was substantially damaged in the accident.
According to the preliminary NTSB report, the pilot, who is also the registered aircraft owner, told investigators that the flight controls jammed during takeoff and the airplane lifted off prematurely. Two aircraft mechanics witnessed the airplane lift off in an extreme nose-high attitude, level off and then pitch up into a nose-high attitude again, the Safety Board report notes.
The airplane stalled and crashed about 1,500 feet south of Runway 24. According to the NTSB, the airport manager responded to the accident site and reported all flight controls moved freely. The elevator trim was found "1/2 nose up," flaps fully extended (35 degrees) and the engine condition lever in the feathered position, the report says.