LAX00LA180

The airplane was destroyed in a post impact fire after the airplane departed the runway, struck a berm, became airborne, and came back to rest on the runway during the takeoff roll. The pilot attempted to correct for the movement to the left with right rudder; however, the airplane continued to leave the runway. Reported winds at the time of the accident were from the north-northwest at 5 knots. The airplane was inspected at a remote location after the retrieval. A malfunction could not be determined because of fire damage to the airplane, and the removal of the rudder prior to the inspection.

On April 29, 2000, at 1045 hours Pacific daylight time, a Tracy Lancair 235, N235RL, veered to the left of runway 34 on the takeoff roll at the Redding Municipal Airport, Redding, California. The airplane became airborne, collided with an embankment, and was destroyed in the post impact fire. The airplane was operated by the pilot/owner under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot and one passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed for the personal flight and no flight plan was filed. The flight was scheduled to terminate at the Sonoma Skypark Airport, Sonoma, California.

The aviation surface weather report for the Redding airport at 0956 was: visibility 10 miles; clear; winds from 330 degrees at 7 knots gusting to 15 knots; temperature 64 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 36 degrees Fahrenheit, and altimeter setting 30.18 inHg. At 1056, the winds were from 030 degrees at 5 knots.

The pilot stated that on the takeoff roll the airplane moved left of centerline. He applied right rudder, but this did not correct the movement to the left. He further stated that the pressure in his right leg seemed "excessive" for a normal takeoff. The airplane "suddenly" veered to the left, struck a berm, spun into the air, and came to rest on a taxiway.

A Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness inspector inspected the airplane. He stated that prior to his arrival the airplane had been removed from the accident site and placed on a trailer. He was unable to determine what components had been damaged during the retrieval process. He further indicated that he was unable to determine if the rudder was intact prior to the impact because it had been removed before he arrived.