What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot with his passenger , his 13 yr. Old granddaughter were attempting a take off to the south on runway 17 and after gaining speed, stated that he tried to coax the aircraft into the air. He then stated he looked over and the right wing was quite low, next thing he knew they were going sw at about 45 degrees across the runway and impacted a 10-12 in. Diameter tree. Damage was as follows: substantial damage and separation of the right wing, buckling of the fuselage, bent nose gear, propeller damage and sudden stoppage of the engine. Winds were reported to be light and variable temperature 100 degrees f and no post crash fire occurred. In his closing statement he said his granddaughter told him several hours later that she probably brushed the yoke. Note: in the pilots initial phone conversation with this office several days earlier stated that his passenger in a panic grabbed the yoke causing the aircraft to veer to the right.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT WITH HIS PASSENGER , HIS 13 YR. OLD GRANDDAUGHTER WERE ATTEMPTING A TAKE OFF TO THE SOUTH ON RUNWAY 17 AND AFTER GAINING SPEED, STATED THAT HE TRIED TO COAX THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE AIR. HE THEN STATED HE LOOKED OVER AND THE RIGHT WING WAS QUITE LOW, NEXT THING HE KNEW THEY WERE GOING SW AT ABOUT 45 DEGREES ACROSS THE RUNWAY AND IMPACTED A 10-12 IN. DIAMETER TREE. DAMAGE WAS AS FOLLOWS: SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND SEPARATION OF THE RIGHT WING, BUCKLING OF THE FUSELAGE, BENT NOSE GEAR, PROPELLER DAMAGE AND SUDDEN STOPPAGE OF THE ENGINE. WINDS WERE REPORTED TO BE LIGHT AND VARIABLE TEMPERATURE 100 DEGREES F AND NO POST CRASH FIRE OCCURRED. IN HIS CLOSING STATEMENT HE SAID HIS GRANDDAUGHTER TOLD HIM SEVERAL HOURS LATER THAT SHE PROBABLY BRUSHED THE YOKE. NOTE: IN THE PILOTS INITIAL PHONE CONVERSATION WITH THIS OFFICE SEVERAL DAYS EARLIER STATED THAT HIS PASSENGER IN A PANIC GRABBED THE YOKE CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO VEER TO THE RIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.