What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
During the takeoff roll on runway 35, the pilot attempted to become airborne, was unable to do so, and left the end of the runway into trees and down a slope 40 feet into a heavily wooded ravine destroying the aircraft. The conditions were VMC, temperature 79 degrees f, relative humidity 58%, windspeed 5 mph at 260 degrees. The runway is grass and had previously been mowed 1 week earlier. The runway was soggy in areas due to previous rain earlier in the week and the week prior. There were 3 male passengers aboard and 3 pieces of luggage in the baggage compartment. The total combined weight of the luggage was 87 lbs. Each passenger, including the pilot, weighed approximately 180 lbs. There was approximately 228 lbs of fuel aboard (38 gallons). No weight and balance was performed prior to take-off. The pilot stated that the engine appeared to operate normally, but the aircraft bogged down in spots as it was moving down the runway. The runway is 3300 feet in length and the main landing gear skid marks from braking appear 375 feet prior to where the aircraft entered the trees. The aircraft elevator trim was set to 5 degrees nose down and the flaps were set to 10 degrees.
As the FAA filed it
DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL ON RUNWAY 35, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO BECOME AIRBORNE, WAS UNABLE TO DO SO, AND LEFT THE END OF THE RUNWAY INTO TREES AND DOWN A SLOPE 40 FEET INTO A HEAVILY WOODED RAVINE DESTROYING THE AIRCRAFT. THE CONDITIONS WERE VMC, TEMPERATURE 79 DEGREES F, RELATIVE HUMIDITY 58%, WINDSPEED 5 MPH AT 260 DEGREES. THE RUNWAY IS GRASS AND HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN MOWED 1 WEEK EARLIER. THE RUNWAY WAS SOGGY IN AREAS DUE TO PREVIOUS RAIN EARLIER IN THE WEEK AND THE WEEK PRIOR. THERE WERE 3 MALE PASSENGERS ABOARD AND 3 PIECES OF LUGGAGE IN THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT. THE TOTAL COMBINED WEIGHT OF THE LUGGAGE WAS 87 LBS. EACH PASSENGER, INCLUDING THE PILOT, WEIGHED APPROXIMATELY 180 LBS. THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 228 LBS OF FUEL ABOARD (38 GALLONS). NO WEIGHT AND BALANCE WAS PERFORMED PRIOR TO TAKE-OFF. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE APPEARED TO OPERATE NORMALLY, BUT THE AIRCRAFT BOGGED DOWN IN SPOTS AS IT WAS MOVING DOWN THE RUNWAY. THE RUNWAY IS 3300 FEET IN LENGTH AND THE MAIN LANDING GEAR SKID MARKS FROM BRAKING APPEAR 375 FEET PRIOR TO WHERE THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED THE TREES. THE AIRCRAFT ELEVATOR TRIM WAS SET TO 5 DEGREES NOSE DOWN AND THE FLAPS WERE SET TO 10 DEGREES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.