Jumps away from runway like a rocket and stalls immediately when out of ground effect. Overrotation, aft CG, foreign object blocking yoke/elevator control, pilot seat sliding bacwards etc. have caused very similar accidents.

Does the Duke have such dramatic stall characteristics ? There must be more to it.

KFUL is only around 3100’. The likelihood that this guy was above blue line (I’m pretty sure it’s 112 kias, but it’s been a long time since I flew one), was probably nil. If you look closely, by the time he rolls upside down his gear was already up.

I think he was getting ahead of himself, lost his left engine at rotation, well below Vmc, and suffered the consequences of doing something other than pulling both and putting it back on the ground.

Just went down and looked at one a couple hangars down from mine and according to the POH/ASI: (without a VG kit)
Vmca=85
Vyse=112

And, as I recall, from zero thrust demo during my checkout, (a million years ago), you are absolutely correct about fairly high rudder forces required to keep things pointed where they are supposed to be. (Not quite as bad as a T-28 C in slow flight, but definitely enough to make your leg shake until you get it trimmed up)

Add fuel selectors in off positions or empty tanks selected.

I’ll never say never, but, for all its faults, the Duke has a pretty simplistic fuel system...

Yup, regardless of whatever ultimately happened, the pilot was no doubt a good guy (albeit 10 years my junior, and of sufficiently superior intelligence to have pursued a dental rather than a surgical career).

I don’t know what ultimately happened, but I am sure that he was a good man and true, and that he did his utmost to save his craft.

With a draghm, I’m facing west:

Here’s to you!

(and subsequently East):

“You sons of Bitches”!