The flight instructor and private pilot receiving instruction were executing touch-and-go landings on the 2,190-foot grass runway. The airplane landed, accelerated for takeoff, and lifted off the ground approximately 600-700 feet from the departure end of the runway. A witness reported that the airplane attained a height approximately 20 feet agl and "immediately the right wing dropped slightly, and corrected back to level." Subsequently, "the right wing dropped to about a 45-degree angle, stopped slightly, and then continued to drop to a full 90 degree down position." The airplane's right wing contacted the ground, the airplane began to cartwheel and came to rest against a tree. The airplane was consumed by a post crash fire. The airframe and engine were examined and no anomalies were found that would preclude normal operation of the airplane.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
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