What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On January 8, 2003 at approximately 11:00 am CST N3628X veered off a private grass strip (3500') and struck several trees during take-off. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The pilot stated he attempted take-off but the aircraft would not respond to flight control inputs. He decided to abort the take-off with 400' of remaining runway. The pilot stated he lost control of the aircraft and it veered right into several trees adjacent to the runway. Inspectors, on-site investigation, revealed the elevator trim control surface was in the nose down position which would have required significantly more pull pressure on the control yoke to achieve elevator movement and aircraft departure. (.19) on January 8, 2003, at 1020 central standard time, an aero commander 100, N3628X, registered to and owned by the pilot, collided with trees adjacent to the east runway at a private airstrip near Geneva, Alabama. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the private pilot was no t injured. The accident occurred during the initial takeoff from the private airstrip in Geneva, Alabama. According to the pilot, recent maintenance had been completed on the airplane in Geneva, and the purpose of the flight was to reposition the airplane to his home in pensacola, Florida. As the airplane accelerated down the runway during the attempted takeoff, the pilot said the airplane would not climb and he could not explain why. When the pilot elected to abort the takeoff, the airplane veered off the left side of the runway and collided with a stand of trees.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JANUARY 8, 2003 AT APPROXIMATELY 11:00 AM CST N3628X VEERED OFF A PRIVATE GRASS STRIP (3500') AND STRUCK SEVERAL TREES DURING TAKE-OFF. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOT STATED HE ATTEMPTED TAKE-OFF BUT THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT RESPOND TO FLIGHT CONTROL INPUTS. HE DECIDED TO ABORT THE TAKE-OFF WITH 400' OF REMAINING RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED HE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND IT VEERED RIGHT INTO SEVERAL TREES ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. INSPECTORS, ON-SITE INVESTIGATION, REVEALED THE ELEVATOR TRIM CONTROL SURFACE WAS IN THE NOSE DOWN POSITION WHICH WOULD HAVE REQUIRED SIGNIFICANTLY MORE PULL PRESSURE ON THE CONTROL YOKE TO ACHIEVE ELEVATOR MOVEMENT AND AIRCRAFT DEPARTURE. (.19) ON JANUARY 8, 2003, AT 1020 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, AN AERO COMMANDER 100, N3628X, REGISTERED TO AND OWNED BY THE PILOT, COLLIDED WITH TREES ADJACENT TO THE EAST RUNWAY AT A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP NEAR GENEVA, ALABAMA. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. VISUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS NO T INJURED. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE INITIAL TAKEOFF FROM THE PRIVATE AIRSTRIP IN GENEVA, ALABAMA. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, RECENT MAINTENANCE HAD BEEN COMPLETED ON THE AIRPLANE IN GENEVA, AND THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO REPOSITION THE AIRPLANE TO HIS HOME IN PENSACOLA, FLORIDA. AS THE AIRPLANE ACCELERATED DOWN THE RUNWAY DURING THE ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF, THE PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT CLIMB AND HE COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY. WHEN THE PILOT ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH A STAND OF TREES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.