What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The PIC influenced by the encroachment of approaching thunder storms, a field, normally utilized for this event, was flooded, and the possibility of damage to the aircraft while towing, if caught in the storm, spurred his decision to fly out, utilizing an already blocked off road.
The aircraft began with a rolling takeoff evolution with approximately 1400 foot distance. As rotation speed was achieved a cross wind drove the aircraft to the left causing the aircraft to slow from the l/h MLG into the soft median momentarily. After recovery the decision point had past and takeoff was executed. The aircraft, still being effected by the r/h crosswind drifted left and made contact with the street lamp with the l/h MLG. The aircraft proceeded to strike the suspension wires for the traffic lights and was dragged down, coming to rest on top of the upper wing.
As the FAA filed it
THE PIC INFLUENCED BY THE ENCROACHMENT OF APPROACHING THUNDER STORMS, A FIELD, NORMALLY UTILIZED FOR THIS EVENT, WAS FLOODED, AND THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WHILE TOWING, IF CAUGHT IN THE STORM, SPURRED HIS DECISION TO FLY OUT, UTILIZING AN ALREADY BLOCKED OFF ROAD.
THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN WITH A ROLLING TAKEOFF EVOLUTION WITH APPROXIMATELY 1400 FOOT DISTANCE. AS ROTATION SPEED WAS ACHIEVED A CROSS WIND DROVE THE AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO SLOW FROM THE L/H MLG INTO THE SOFT MEDIAN MOMENTARILY. AFTER RECOVERY THE DECISION POINT HAD PAST AND TAKEOFF WAS EXECUTED. THE AIRCRAFT, STILL BEING EFFECTED BY THE R/H CROSSWIND DRIFTED LEFT AND MADE CONTACT WITH THE STREET LAMP WITH THE L/H MLG. THE AIRCRAFT PROCEEDED TO STRIKE THE SUSPENSION WIRES FOR THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND WAS DRAGGED DOWN, COMING TO REST ON TOP OF THE UPPER WING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.