What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Due to reported approaching thunderstorms, pilot elected to reposition his aircraft to a field 1 1/2 east where hangar space was available. His takeoff was from a 6,000 foot runway. Witnesses state he did not become airborne until mid-field, and had reached only 100 to 200 feet altitude by the end of the runway. The aircraft was observed turning to the left, the left wing dipping, then entering a spin ending in a near vertical impact with the ground. The pilot was fatally injured and the aircraft was destroyed. The pilot had stated just prior to takeoff the engine was "weak" and he intended to change it out this winter. He also stated that the airspeed indicating system was inoperative.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) DUE TO REPORTED APPROACHING THUNDERSTORMS, PILOT ELECTED TO REPOSITION HIS AIRCRAFT TO A FIELD 1 1/2 EAST WHERE HANGAR SPACE WAS AVAILABLE. HIS TAKEOFF WAS FROM A 6,000 FOOT RUNWAY. WITNESSES STATE HE DID NOT BECOME AIRBORNE UNTIL MID-FIELD, AND HAD REACHED ONLY 100 TO 200 FEET ALTITUDE BY THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TURNING TO THE LEFT, THE LEFT WING DIPPING, THEN ENTERING A SPIN ENDING IN A NEAR VERTICAL IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. THE PILOT HAD STATED JUST PRIOR TO TAKEOFF THE ENGINE WAS "WEAK" AND HE INTENDED TO CHANGE IT OUT THIS WINTER. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE AIRSPEED INDICATING SYSTEM WAS INOPERATIVE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.