how big is an RV8 - or small ?
he impacted flat terrain and in a flat attitude but still died.

Big John wrote:

NTBS prelim report on RV-8 crash at College Place, WA, 1 April.

From prelim data looks like lost power after T/O and tied to make a
180 back to field?

My condolances to family.

Big John
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NTBS Quote

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain
errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final
report has been completed.

On April 1, 2004, approximately 1138 Pacific standard time, a
Davenport (Van's) RV-8F homebuilt experimental aircraft, N284DM,
registered to and being flown/operated by a commercial pilot sustained
substantial damage during an in-flight collision with terrain
following a loss of power on initial climb at College Place,
Washington. The pilot was fatally injured and there was no post-crash
fire. Visual meteorological conditions existed and no flight plan had
been filed. The flight, which was personal, originated from Martin
Field, College Place, Washington, approximately 1135 and was destined
for Walla Walla, Washington.

A companion pilot, who departed in a separate aircraft immediately
after N284DM, reported that the accident aircraft departed on runway
23 and commenced a climbing right turn. The companion pilot departed
immediately thereafter and during his climbing right turn he passed
the accident aircraft noting that the aircraft was decelerating and
descending back toward Martin Field. Although both pilots were in
radio communication with one another the companion pilot heard no
radio transmissions from the pilot of the accident aircraft following
his departure.

The aircraft impacted flat terrain in a flat attitude between runway
23 and Whitman Drive, which runs parallel to the runway approximately
500 feet north of the field. The wreckage distribution covered
approximately 25-30 feet of ground slide toward the southwest.