20031222034689A

(-23) The aircraft departed rnwy 11 at 2000 LCL for a night IMC takeoff. Weather reported as calm, 1-mile visibility in mist/fog. The PIC was in r/h cockpit seat, flying pilot in the l/h cockpit seat and had no hours flying this make and model other than 5-10 hours simulator time. Both pilots reported a normal takeoff to 400-500 feet AGL and the initiation of a right turn to intercept the 155 radial of a VOR located to the right and abeam the departure end of runway. A thump was heard and felt, 40-45 right bank angle was noted and soon thereafter aircraft contacted the ground, sliding. Fire was noted at the right wing soon after ground contact. After coming to rest, both crewmembers exited the aircraft through the aft fuselage where the tail section had departed. Aircraft continued to burn and was substantially destroyed. The accident scene was a frozen level cow pasture with approximately 1-inch of snow cover. Aircraft traveled 352 yards from initial sliding contact with ground on a bearing of 250. 80 yards after initial ground contact, aircraft underside contacted the motor drive assembly of a walking-type wheel-line irrigation pipeline and left a consistent debris trail to finalresting place. The tail section departed the aircraft and came to rest 246 yards from initial ground contact, 106 yards from main wreckage. The debris trail showed evidence of fire with continuous ground sliding impact marks. Main wreckage came to rest facing south with no major impact damage to nose, prop spinners or inboard wind leading edges.