THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD FLOWN THE AIRCRAFT TWICE IN NOVEMBER 1994, AND THAT THE AILERONS HAD BEEN 'SLUGGISH' AND 'SPONGY.' HE HAD NOT FLOWN AGAIN UNTIL THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. HE DEPARTED HIS PRIVATE AIRSTRIP AND 'WIGGLED' THE WINGS PASSING 50 FEET. HE FELT THE SAME SLUGGISHNESS THAT HE FELT THE PREVIOUS NOVEMBER. AT 200 FEET HE REDUCED POWER AND STARTED A 15 DEGREE ANGLE OF BANK TURN. HE TRIED LEVELING THE WINGS BUT THE AILERONS WERE UNRESPONSIVE AND THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO ROLL. AT 50 FEET HE APPLIED FULL POWER AND RIGHT RUDDER. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND WITH THE WINGS NEARLY LEVEL. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE MIGHT HAVE REDUCED TOO MUCH POWER AND GOT TOO SLOW, STALLING THE AIRPLANE. HE HAD NOT FLOWN RECENTLY. HE ALSO STATED THAT ANOTHER EXPERIENCED PILOT FAMILIAR WITH AN 'AVID FLYER' SHOULD HAVE CHECKED THE FLIGHT CONTROLS BEFORE HE HAD FLOWN THE AIRPLANE AGAIN.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
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