What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Struck trees terrain and burned on climbout. Had landed on restricted laning area. (.4)the pilot made a downwind takeoff from a sod runway that was 2,500 feet long. The sod runway was not lighted, nor were there any reflective devices marking the threshold or runway edges. According to the pilot, the airplane became airborne about midfield and did not gain altitude or airspeed as fast as he thought it should. Subsequently, the airplane collided with trees and terrain about 1/2-mile from the departure end of the runway. The airplane was destroyed by the collision and a post-collision fire. The pilot said he took off downwind because he did not believe a 7 knot quartering tailwind would be a factor since it was 'slight.' An on-scene investigation revealed no mechanical anomalies with the engine or airframe that would prevent normal operations. A drug screen performed by the hospital on a sample of the pilot's urine, obtained 10 days after the accident, indicated 'thc presumptive' and did not distinguish between tetrahydrocannabinol (the active component of marijuana) and tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid (an inact ive metabolite of marijuana). Marijuana was found in a coat that was in the airplane. The pilot said the coat belonged to the former owner. (-23) aircraft departed private airstrip with 3 on board. Aircraft was unable to climb and struck trees settling to the ground. The aircraft was destroyed by fire. The 3 on board were taken to area hospitals with burns.
As the FAA filed it
STRUCK TREES TERRAIN AND BURNED ON CLIMBOUT. HAD LANDED ON RESTRICTED LANING AREA. (.4)THE PILOT MADE A DOWNWIND TAKEOFF FROM A SOD RUNWAY THAT WAS 2,500 FEET LONG. THE SOD RUNWAY WAS NOT LIGHTED, NOR WERE THERE ANY REFLECTIVE DEVICES MARKING THE THRESHOLD OR RUNWAY EDGES. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE ABOUT MIDFIELD AND DID NOT GAIN ALTITUDE OR AIRSPEED AS FAST AS HE THOUGHT IT SHOULD. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AND TERRAIN ABOUT 1/2-MILE FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED BY THE COLLISION AND A POST-COLLISION FIRE. THE PILOT SAID HE TOOK OFF DOWNWIND BECAUSE HE DID NOT BELIEVE A 7 KNOT QUARTERING TAILWIND WOULD BE A FACTOR SINCE IT WAS 'SLIGHT.' AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WITH THE ENGINE OR AIRFRAME THAT WOULD PREVENT NORMAL OPERATIONS. A DRUG SCREEN PERFORMED BY THE HOSPITAL ON A SAMPLE OF THE PILOT'S URINE, OBTAINED 10 DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT, INDICATED 'THC PRESUMPTIVE' AND DID NOT DISTINGUISH BETWEEN TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL (THE ACTIVE COMPONENT OF MARIJUANA) AND TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL CARBOXYLIC ACID (AN INACT IVE METABOLITE OF MARIJUANA). MARIJUANA WAS FOUND IN A COAT THAT WAS IN THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT SAID THE COAT BELONGED TO THE FORMER OWNER. (-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED PRIVATE AIRSTRIP WITH 3 ON BOARD. AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB AND STRUCK TREES SETTLING TO THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. THE 3 ON BOARD WERE TAKEN TO AREA HOSPITALS WITH BURNS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.