What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot stated that he paced the runway for distance and obstructions and completed a preflight check prior to takeoff. During takeoff, the aircraft reached 15-20 feet AGL when it got hit with a gust of wind which pushed the aircraft back toward the ground. Engine was at full throttle and pilot attempted to gain altitude without inducing a stall, but was unable to recover before the main wheels contacted the tundra. The left main wheel was the first to touch as the tundra was uneven, this caused the aircraft to rotate to the left and become uncontrollable. Aircraft came to rest in a small ravine having suffered substantial damage to the landing gear, wings and fuselage.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT STATED THAT HE PACED THE RUNWAY FOR DISTANCE AND OBSTRUCTIONS AND COMPLETED A PREFLIGHT CHECK PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. DURING TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT REACHED 15-20 FEET AGL WHEN IT GOT HIT WITH A GUST OF WIND WHICH PUSHED THE AIRCRAFT BACK TOWARD THE GROUND. ENGINE WAS AT FULL THROTTLE AND PILOT ATTEMPTED TO GAIN ALTITUDE WITHOUT INDUCING A STALL, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER BEFORE THE MAIN WHEELS CONTACTED THE TUNDRA. THE LEFT MAIN WHEEL WAS THE FIRST TO TOUCH AS THE TUNDRA WAS UNEVEN, THIS CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO ROTATE TO THE LEFT AND BECOME UNCONTROLLABLE. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN A SMALL RAVINE HAVING SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LANDING GEAR, WINGS AND FUSELAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.