What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On June 1, 2003, about 1032 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N9758G, registered to four fox air inc., and operated by an individual, impacted with an airport sign during the takeoff roll at the st. Petersburg/Clearwater international airport, Clearwater, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR part 91 personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged. The private-rated pilot-in-command and three passengers reported no injuries. The flight was originating at the time. According to the pilot he was departing runway 22, had started the takeoff roll, and the airspeed indicator had just started to move, when the airplane started to yaw to the left. He applied right rudder, but the airplane continued to the left, departed the runway and impacted with the airport sign.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JUNE 1, 2003, ABOUT 1032 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172N, N9758G, REGISTERED TO FOUR FOX AIR INC., AND OPERATED BY AN INDIVIDUAL, IMPACTED WITH AN AIRPORT SIGN DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL AT THE ST. PETERSBURG/CLEARWATER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, CLEARWATER, FLORIDA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PRIVATE-RATED PILOT-IN-COMMAND AND THREE PASSENGERS REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT HE WAS DEPARTING RUNWAY 22, HAD STARTED THE TAKEOFF ROLL, AND THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR HAD JUST STARTED TO MOVE, WHEN THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO YAW TO THE LEFT. HE APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER, BUT THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO THE LEFT, DEPARTED THE RUNWAY AND IMPACTED WITH THE AIRPORT SIGN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.