What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On take off, aircraft drifted to left side of the runway and midway down the 2500 foot long by 50 foot wide grass runway, got left gear into unmown grass, lifted off momentarily, settled back to the ground, then abruptly lifted off at high angle of climb. Aircraft broke sharply left at/or below tree line height and disappeared below and beyond tree line still in left turn. Aircraft struck ground left wing first and pivoted left, back slid in an upright position, tail high, and came to rest. Eyewitnesses stated they saw the pilot working the canopy locking apparatus while in the high angle of climb state.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON TAKE OFF, AIRCRAFT DRIFTED TO LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND MIDWAY DOWN THE 2500 FOOT LONG BY 50 FOOT WIDE GRASS RUNWAY, GOT LEFT GEAR INTO UNMOWN GRASS, LIFTED OFF MOMENTARILY, SETTLED BACK TO THE GROUND, THEN ABRUPTLY LIFTED OFF AT HIGH ANGLE OF CLIMB. AIRCRAFT BROKE SHARPLY LEFT AT/OR BELOW TREE LINE HEIGHT AND DISAPPEARED BELOW AND BEYOND TREE LINE STILL IN LEFT TURN. AIRCRAFT STRUCK GROUND LEFT WING FIRST AND PIVOTED LEFT, BACK SLID IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION, TAIL HIGH, AND CAME TO REST. EYEWITNESSES STATED THEY SAW THE PILOT WORKING THE CANOPY LOCKING APPARATUS WHILE IN THE HIGH ANGLE OF CLIMB STATE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.