What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot attempting take off on runway 35 from Houghton heights lake state airport (5Y2). Pilot stated there was no response to the aircraft controls & he aborted the take off. Aircraft ran off the side of the runway & impacted trees. Aircraft damage substantial, no injuries. (.19) on July 22, 2001, at 1044 eastern daylight time, a Maule, M-5-180C, N56646, operated by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when it struck trees and the terrain following take off from the Houghton heights, lake state airport (5Y2), Houghton lake, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. In his statement to a federal aviation administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot said that on takeoff, the airplane turned to the left. The pilot said that he could not control it. An FAA inspector examined the airplane at 5Y2. Both wings leading edges showed bends and crushing along their entire spans. One wing was twisted aft. The cowling and fus elage showed bends and wrinkles. The propeller showed chordwise scratches. Several tree saplings in the vicinity of where the airplane came to a stop were severed. Flight control continuity between the cockpit and all control surfaces was confirmed. An examination of the engine, engine controls, and other airplane systems revealed no anomalies.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT ATTEMPTING TAKE OFF ON RUNWAY 35 FROM HOUGHTON HEIGHTS LAKE STATE AIRPORT (5Y2). PILOT STATED THERE WAS NO RESPONSE TO THE AIRCRAFT CONTROLS & HE ABORTED THE TAKE OFF. AIRCRAFT RAN OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY & IMPACTED TREES. AIRCRAFT DAMAGE SUBSTANTIAL, NO INJURIES. (.19) ON JULY 22, 2001, AT 1044 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A MAULE, M-5-180C, N56646, OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT STRUCK TREES AND THE TERRAIN FOLLOWING TAKE OFF FROM THE HOUGHTON HEIGHTS, LAKE STATE AIRPORT (5Y2), HOUGHTON LAKE, MICHIGAN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE LOCAL FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. IN HIS STATEMENT TO A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTOR, THE PILOT SAID THAT ON TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE TURNED TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE COULD NOT CONTROL IT. AN FAA INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AT 5Y2. BOTH WINGS LEADING EDGES SHOWED BENDS AND CRUSHING ALONG THEIR ENTIRE SPANS. ONE WING WAS TWISTED AFT. THE COWLING AND FUS ELAGE SHOWED BENDS AND WRINKLES. THE PROPELLER SHOWED CHORDWISE SCRATCHES. SEVERAL TREE SAPLINGS IN THE VICINITY OF WHERE THE AIRPLANE CAME TO A STOP WERE SEVERED. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY BETWEEN THE COCKPIT AND ALL CONTROL SURFACES WAS CONFIRMED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE, ENGINE CONTROLS, AND OTHER AIRPLANE SYSTEMS REVEALED NO ANOMALIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.