What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot took off from runway 3 at tta with what he estimated was 5% aileron to the left. The winds were light but shifting, and were 350@5 when the pilot began his takeoff roll. Approaching rotation speed, the aircraft veered suddenly and significantly to the left. The pilot stated it may have been his aileron input, but it felt like a horizontal lift force that sent him and his aircraft to the left, into a ditch, causing the nose gear to sheer off and the firewall to be damaged. He is familiar with the typical left turning tendencies and didn't think that was the cause. He believes it was pilot error, but does think it was possible, though unlikely in his opinion, that a wind gust or shift contributed.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM RUNWAY 3 AT TTA WITH WHAT HE ESTIMATED WAS 5% AILERON TO THE LEFT. THE WINDS WERE LIGHT BUT SHIFTING, AND WERE 350@5 WHEN THE PILOT BEGAN HIS TAKEOFF ROLL. APPROACHING ROTATION SPEED, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED SUDDENLY AND SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT STATED IT MAY HAVE BEEN HIS AILERON INPUT, BUT IT FELT LIKE A HORIZONTAL LIFT FORCE THAT SENT HIM AND HIS AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT, INTO A DITCH, CAUSING THE NOSE GEAR TO SHEER OFF AND THE FIREWALL TO BE DAMAGED. HE IS FAMILIAR WITH THE TYPICAL LEFT TURNING TENDENCIES AND DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS THE CAUSE. HE BELIEVES IT WAS PILOT ERROR, BUT DOES THINK IT WAS POSSIBLE, THOUGH UNLIKELY IN HIS OPINION, THAT A WIND GUST OR SHIFT CONTRIBUTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.