What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Airmand was departin pan,da of 7300 ffet, just under gross weight. According to the performance chart that he used (for a PA-28-161) he would have had a ground roll of 2000 feet. (Rwy is 5500") airman stated that at approx 50 mph the nose gear began to shimmy (after 1000' ground roll so FAR) at the same time directional control became difficult. He rotated at about this time and the tail struck the rwy. A/c became airborne to approx 10 feet and went immediately left, then right, striking heavy bushes to the right side of the runway shearing the right wing. A/c made a 180 degree turn and skidded backwards coming to a stop in a ravine off the right side of the runway. Pilot and 3 pax escaped uninjured. (.4) with three passengers and 30 gallons of fuel in the tanks, the pilot commenced the takeoff roll on a 5,500-foot-long runway, elevation 5,157 feet mean sea level. The density altitude was about 7,650 feet. As the airplane accelerated, it veered left and right, the nose pitched up, and the tail tie down ring scraped on the runway. Directional control was lost, and the airplane overran runway lights and came to rest upon colliding with a tree. The pilot reported that no mechanical malfunctions were experienced with his airplane during the flight. The pilot's total flying experience was 75.3 hours. He was issued a pilot certificate 17 days prior to the mishap.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRMAND WAS DEPARTIN PAN,DA OF 7300 FFET, JUST UNDER GROSS WEIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE PERFORMANCE CHART THAT HE USED (FOR A PA-28-161) HE WOULD HAVE HAD A GROUND ROLL OF 2000 FEET. (RWY IS 5500") AIRMAN STATED THAT AT APPROX 50 MPH THE NOSE GEAR BEGAN TO SHIMMY (AFTER 1000' GROUND ROLL SO FAR) AT THE SAME TIME DIRECTIONAL CONTROL BECAME DIFFICULT. HE ROTATED AT ABOUT THIS TIME AND THE TAIL STRUCK THE RWY. A/C BECAME AIRBORNE TO APPROX 10 FEET AND WENT IMMEDIATELY LEFT, THEN RIGHT, STRIKING HEAVY BUSHES TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY SHEARING THE RIGHT WING. A/C MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN AND SKIDDED BACKWARDS COMING TO A STOP IN A RAVINE OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. PILOT AND 3 PAX ESCAPED UNINJURED. (.4) WITH THREE PASSENGERS AND 30 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE TANKS, THE PILOT COMMENCED THE TAKEOFF ROLL ON A 5,500-FOOT-LONG RUNWAY, ELEVATION 5,157 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 7,650 FEET. AS THE AIRPLANE ACCELERATED, IT VEERED LEFT AND RIGHT, THE NOSE PITCHED UP, AND THE TAIL TIE DOWN RING SCRAPED ON THE RUNWAY. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST, AND THE AIRPLANE OVERRAN RUNWAY LIGHTS AND CAME TO REST UPON COLLIDING WITH A TREE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE EXPERIENCED WITH HIS AIRPLANE DURING THE FLIGHT. THE PILOT'S TOTAL FLYING EXPERIENCE WAS 75.3 HOURS. HE WAS ISSUED A PILOT CERTIFICATE 17 DAYS PRIOR TO THE MISHAP.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.