What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) During the post-accident interview, the pilot stated that while performing his pre-takeoff runup, the existing fog in the area got thicker; the windshield of his airplane also "fogged up." He said he could see stars in the sky looking vertically, but the horizontal distance was only 100 to 200 feet. Contributing to the reduced visibility was darkness--it was still about 30 to 40 minutes to sunrise. The pilot thought that he was centered adequately on the grass runway which is about 150 ft. wide and 4,000 ft. long with no lights or centerline markings. According to the pilot, he applied power for takeoff, began rolling, and after a few seconds he saw he was headed towards the barb wire fence which borders the left side of the runway. He attempted to apply up elevator in an attempt to jump the fence and get the airplane to fly, but just as the airplane became airborne, the left main landing gear and part of the empennage contacted the fence and a supporting post. This action caused the airplane to pivot and to be pulled back to the edge of the runway where it stopped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage supporting structure and minor damage to the horizontal stabilizers, left wing, landing gear and propeller.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) DURING THE POST-ACCIDENT INTERVIEW, THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE PERFORMING HIS PRE-TAKEOFF RUNUP, THE EXISTING FOG IN THE AREA GOT THICKER; THE WINDSHIELD OF HIS AIRPLANE ALSO "FOGGED UP." HE SAID HE COULD SEE STARS IN THE SKY LOOKING VERTICALLY, BUT THE HORIZONTAL DISTANCE WAS ONLY 100 TO 200 FEET. CONTRIBUTING TO THE REDUCED VISIBILITY WAS DARKNESS--IT WAS STILL ABOUT 30 TO 40 MINUTES TO SUNRISE. THE PILOT THOUGHT THAT HE WAS CENTERED ADEQUATELY ON THE GRASS RUNWAY WHICH IS ABOUT 150 FT. WIDE AND 4,000 FT. LONG WITH NO LIGHTS OR CENTERLINE MARKINGS. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE APPLIED POWER FOR TAKEOFF, BEGAN ROLLING, AND AFTER A FEW SECONDS HE SAW HE WAS HEADED TOWARDS THE BARB WIRE FENCE WHICH BORDERS THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. HE ATTEMPTED TO APPLY UP ELEVATOR IN AN ATTEMPT TO JUMP THE FENCE AND GET THE AIRPLANE TO FLY, BUT JUST AS THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE, THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR AND PART OF THE EMPENNAGE CONTACTED THE FENCE AND A SUPPORTING POST. THIS ACTION CAUSED THE AIRPLANE TO PIVOT AND TO BE PULLED BACK TO THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY WHERE IT STOPPED. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE EMPENNAGE SUPPORTING STRUCTURE AND MINOR DAMAGE TO THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS, LEFT WING, LANDING GEAR AND PROPELLER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.