What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 07/27/09 privacy data omitted was PIC of N19157 during a sightseeing operation. privacy data omitted Was piloting his 4th consecutive sightseeing ride, carrying 2 passengers. On take-off roll, at full power, the aircraft rolled for 370' before depatrted the grass runway, to the left side, and entered an area of brush and small trees. Evidence from a video taken by one of the passengers shows privacy data omitted remained at full power for an additional 320' through the area of brush, finally launching off a 15-20' rock embankment, impacting trees with both wings and settling in a swamp with the propeller still turning against a third tree. Evidence from the video shows the airplane not properly aligned with the runway on take-off and continuing with full power after entering the brush all the way through the final impact. No attempt to abort the take-off was made by either reducing power or applying brakes, the video shows no apparent mechanical discrepancies contributing to the accident.
As the FAA filed it
ON 07/27/09 ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS PIC OF N19157 DURING A SIGHTSEEING OPERATION. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS PILOTING HIS 4TH CONSECUTIVE SIGHTSEEING RIDE, CARRYING 2 PASSENGERS. ON TAKE-OFF ROLL, AT FULL POWER, THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED FOR 370' BEFORE DEPATRTED THE GRASS RUNWAY, TO THE LEFT SIDE, AND ENTERED AN AREA OF BRUSH AND SMALL TREES. EVIDENCE FROM A VIDEO TAKEN BY ONE OF THE PASSENGERS SHOWS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ REMAINED AT FULL POWER FOR AN ADDITIONAL 320' THROUGH THE AREA OF BRUSH, FINALLY LAUNCHING OFF A 15-20' ROCK EMBANKMENT, IMPACTING TREES WITH BOTH WINGS AND SETTLING IN A SWAMP WITH THE PROPELLER STILL TURNING AGAINST A THIRD TREE. EVIDENCE FROM THE VIDEO SHOWS THE AIRPLANE NOT PROPERLY ALIGNED WITH THE RUNWAY ON TAKE-OFF AND CONTINUING WITH FULL POWER AFTER ENTERING THE BRUSH ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE FINAL IMPACT. NO ATTEMPT TO ABORT THE TAKE-OFF WAS MADE BY EITHER REDUCING POWER OR APPLYING BRAKES, THE VIDEO SHOWS NO APPARENT MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.