19980524010639A

Soft field takeoff demo. Lost control on nose high climb. Settled. Ran off rwy into tall grass into trees. (.4)the flight instructor was demonstrating a soft field takeoff to the student pilot. During the takeoff, the airplane hit a dip about 100 feet down the runway, and, according to the flight instructor, it 'catapulted them into the air in an extremely nose high attitude.' The instructor thought the student pilot was frozen on the controls when the airplane did not respond to his control inputs, so he yelled, 'I've got the airplane.' The student pilot reported that the instructor pulled the nose of the airplane up, the airplane started to shake and the instructor commented on being 'behind the power curve.' The airplane went off the left side of the runway through 24 inch tall grass and struck trees before it came to rest. The flight instructor reported he did not retard the throttle during the takeoff and did not experience any mechanical problems with the airplane. (-23)the flight instructor was demonstrating a soft field takeoff, with a student at the controls. As the aircraft accelerated, with the nose of the in a high pitch attitude, a loss of directional control began to occur. The flight instructor reduced the nose high pich attitude of the aircraft but was unable to regain directional control of the aircraft. The aircraft went off the left side of the runway, traveling approximately 471 feet through 24 inch tall grass, and then crashing into trees and brush. A four foot section fo the left wing was ripped off as a result of the crash and the aircraft received substantial damage. The student pilot received minor injuries and the flight instructor received serious injuries. This investigation is closed.