What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
T was d pilot stated that, during takeoff, he was unable to clear trees at the end of the runway. He added that the normal takeoff distance for the powered glider was 800 feet. He did not know why the 2,501 foot long runway was not sufficient, but added that the engine was producing full power. He further stated that he should have aborted the takeoff. The pilot and passenger could not remember the position of the spoilers prior to takeoff. Examination of the wreckage by a federal aviation administration inspector did not reveal the pre-impact position of the spoilers. The inspector added that a large portion of the wreckage was consumed by fire. (-23) pilot started takeoff roll on rwy 28 and reported that the roll seemed a little longer than normal and that the engine was operating normally. Aircraft was rotated and best rate of climb established at 60 KTS. The landing gear was retracted and the aircraft was climbing at less than 100 feet per minute. The aircraft brushed the tops of some trees off the departure end of the runway, caught the right wing and then crashed inverted in some bayberry bushes. The right wing separated from the fuselage and the cockpi t was destroyed by post impact fire.
As the FAA filed it
T WAS D PILOT STATED THAT, DURING TAKEOFF, HE WAS UNABLE TO CLEAR TREES AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. HE ADDED THAT THE NORMAL TAKEOFF DISTANCE FOR THE POWERED GLIDER WAS 800 FEET. HE DID NOT KNOW WHY THE 2,501 FOOT LONG RUNWAY WAS NOT SUFFICIENT, BUT ADDED THAT THE ENGINE WAS PRODUCING FULL POWER. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER COULD NOT REMEMBER THE POSITION OF THE SPOILERS PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE BY A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR DID NOT REVEAL THE PRE-IMPACT POSITION OF THE SPOILERS. THE INSPECTOR ADDED THAT A LARGE PORTION OF THE WRECKAGE WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE. (-23) PILOT STARTED TAKEOFF ROLL ON RWY 28 AND REPORTED THAT THE ROLL SEEMED A LITTLE LONGER THAN NORMAL AND THAT THE ENGINE WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. AIRCRAFT WAS ROTATED AND BEST RATE OF CLIMB ESTABLISHED AT 60 KTS. THE LANDING GEAR WAS RETRACTED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLIMBING AT LESS THAN 100 FEET PER MINUTE. THE AIRCRAFT BRUSHED THE TOPS OF SOME TREES OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, CAUGHT THE RIGHT WING AND THEN CRASHED INVERTED IN SOME BAYBERRY BUSHES. THE RIGHT WING SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE AND THE COCKPI T WAS DESTROYED BY POST IMPACT FIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.