What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) During the takeoff ground roll on runway 36, the airplane veered off the left side of the runway and collided with trees. Examination of the accident site by an FAA inspector revealed deep, ground scars similar to the tailwheel on the grass strip in the run-up area. There were ground scars similar to the main landing gear on the wet, tall, unmowed grass strip, for about 800 feet where the airplane accelerated on the runway, then the ground scars veered off to the left in the vicinity of the trees. The pilot said he ruled out any on ground directional correction, '...the wind caused a further drift to the left of 36 and put the aircraft in a direct path to the tree line...it was my intention to climb over the trees. Though the engine sounds indicated no anomalies, it just didn't seem to be delivering normal thrust...I came to the conclusion that clearing the trees would not be an option...I therefore opted for a controlled crash into the trees.' The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction with the airplane. (-23) on a VFR local flight, pilot failed to maintain directional control on takeoff. Aircraft departed left side of runway, became airborne and stru ck trees. Pilot received minor injuries.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND ROLL ON RUNWAY 36, THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH TREES. EXAMINATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE BY AN FAA INSPECTOR REVEALED DEEP, GROUND SCARS SIMILAR TO THE TAILWHEEL ON THE GRASS STRIP IN THE RUN-UP AREA. THERE WERE GROUND SCARS SIMILAR TO THE MAIN LANDING GEAR ON THE WET, TALL, UNMOWED GRASS STRIP, FOR ABOUT 800 FEET WHERE THE AIRPLANE ACCELERATED ON THE RUNWAY, THEN THE GROUND SCARS VEERED OFF TO THE LEFT IN THE VICINITY OF THE TREES. THE PILOT SAID HE RULED OUT ANY ON GROUND DIRECTIONAL CORRECTION, '...THE WIND CAUSED A FURTHER DRIFT TO THE LEFT OF 36 AND PUT THE AIRCRAFT IN A DIRECT PATH TO THE TREE LINE...IT WAS MY INTENTION TO CLIMB OVER THE TREES. THOUGH THE ENGINE SOUNDS INDICATED NO ANOMALIES, IT JUST DIDN'T SEEM TO BE DELIVERING NORMAL THRUST...I CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT CLEARING THE TREES WOULD NOT BE AN OPTION...I THEREFORE OPTED FOR A CONTROLLED CRASH INTO THE TREES.' THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WITH THE AIRPLANE. (-23) ON A VFR LOCAL FLIGHT, PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON TAKEOFF. AIRCRAFT DEPARTED LEFT SIDE OF RUNWAY, BECAME AIRBORNE AND STRU CK TREES. PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.