20240109002439A

THE PILOT HAD PICTURES OF THE TAKEOFF ROLL, AND TRACKS WERE STRAIGHT AND UNEVENTFUL. PILOT REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT DIPPED THE LEFT WING HARD AND ABRUPTLY TURNED 90 DEGREES LEFT FROM THE RUNWAY AS HE REACHED TREE TOP ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 100-120FT AGL. PILOT REPORTED NO RESPONSE FROM HIS CONTROL INPUTS TRYING TO CORRECT THE TURN. HE SAID HE KEPT FULL POWER IN, AS HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT STALLING AND LANDING ON A NEARBY HANGER. HE IMPACTED PINE TREES AT ABOUT 70-80 FT AGL, WHICH SIGNIFICANTLY SLOWED THE AIRCRAFT, ENOUGH THAT HE HEARD THE ELT GOING OFF IN HIS HEADSET. A LARGE TREE HIT THE LEFT WING ROOT AREA AND FOLDED THE LEFT GEAR BACKWARD. THIS SPUN THE AIRCRAFT ANOTHER 90 DEGREES AS IT PLUMMETED FAIRLY STRAIGHT DOWN, LANDING ABOUT 40-50 FT FROM THE TREES IT BROKE OFF.THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD COVERED IT WITH A TARP, DUE TO WINDOWS/WINDSHIELD BEING BROKEN OUT UPON LANDING AND EXPECTED SNOW. IT SNOWED BETWEEN THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND TIME FAA ARRIVED ON SCENE. SO VARIOUS SMALL DEBRIS AND PARTS AROUND THE AIRCRAFT WERE NOT VISIBLE, BUT DID NOT EFFECT THE INVESTIGATION. PILOT REPORTED IT WAS ABOUT 238’ LEFT FROM THE CENTER OF THE RUNWAY. TOTAL DISTANCE WAS ABOUT 500-600FT AIRBORNE FROM LIFTOFF TO CRASH. THE LAST FEW FEET OF LEFT WING TIP WAS CRUMPLED QUITE BADLY, AND LOOKED TO BE DAMAGE FROM THE IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. THE OUTBOARD END OF THE LEFT AILERON WAS FOLDED DOWNWARD AT THE LAST HINGE POINT. THE BELLY OF THE TAIL SECTION WAS DENTED UPWARD A FEW INCHES AND HAD A GASH IN THE FABRIC. THE UNDERSIDE OF THE RIGHT WING ESPECIALLY TOWARD THE TIP, HAD TORN FABRIC IN MANY SPOTS FROM THE TREES. THE 2 BLADE PROPELLER HAD ONE BLADE BENT 90 DEGREES BACK TOWARD THE TAIL ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE, THE LEFT SIDE BLADE WAS STRAIGHT AND IN GOOD SHAPE. THE NOSE WAS PUSHED BACK AND SHOVED THE ENGINE COWL BACK, AND BUCKLED THE SKIN AROUND THE HEADER FUEL TANK, BETWEEN THE FIREWALL AND WINDSHIELD, DUE TO GROUND IMPACT. THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED AND MOSTLY MISSING, AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS SHIFTED AFT. VERIFIED CONTINUITY OF THE CONTROLS FOR THE ALERIONS (TRAVEL WAS IMPEDED BY THE BENT LEFT AILERON) AND THE ELEVATOR, AND RUDDER. ALL RESPONDED CORRECTLY AND FELT NORMAL. THE ENGINE CONTROLS WERE NOT VERIFIED AS THEY WERE STUCK. REMOVED THE TOP ENGINE COWL, AND OBSERVED THAT THE ENGINE MOUNT HAD BENT. THERE WAS A DENT IN THE FIREWALL FROM WHERE THE STARTER IMPACTED IT. THE BOTTOM COWL WAS NOT REMOVABLE, SO THE ENGINE CONTROLS COULD NOT BE VERIFIED. THE PILOT OFFERED TO HAVE US SPEAK WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, A WITNESS. HE DID NOT SEE THE IMPACT BUT HE DID HEAR IT. HE WATCHED THE AIRCRAFT TAKE OFF THEN TURNED AWAY. A FEW SECONDS LATER HE HEARD A CRASHING NOISE AS THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE TREES. HE GOT ON HIS ATV AND HEADED OVER WHERE HE SAW THE AIRCRAFT ON THE GROUND AND THE PILOT WAS ALREADY OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND WALKING. HE STATED THE ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL UNTIL THE EXTREMELY LOUD SOUND OF THE AIRCRAFT HITTING THE TREES AND THEN IT WENT SILENT. THERE WERE NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES WITH THE AIRFRAME OR THE ENGINE INDENTIFIED THAT WOULD HAVE PRECLUDED NORMAL OPERATION.