What happened
During the takeoff roll, the aircraft reached approximately 85 knots when it encountered a bump that caused water to accumulate on the windshield. The pilot reported that his forward vision was suddenly obstructed by this water. Instinctively pulling back on the controls, the aircraft became airborne prematurely. In doing so, the pilot lost sight of the right-side runway lights and was reportedly flying blind. The aircraft drifted to the left, striking trees before coming to rest in shallow water within a backwater area located 150 feet north of the departure end of Runway 10.
The investigation
Post-accident examination revealed significant deficiencies in the runway lighting system. Many lights were either non-operational or obstructed from view. Notably, no lights in the last 1000 feet of the runway were both operating and unobstructed. The NOAA Airport/Facility Directory included a remark stating the runway was subject to flooding after very heavy rains; however, this critical information did not appear in the Jeppesen Airport Directory used by the pilot.
Findings
After the accident, the pilot walked through the eastern end of the runway and found himself up to his ankles in approximately three inches of water. The combination of poor runway visibility due to non-operational lights and standing water on the runway surface contributed to the premature liftoff and subsequent loss of control.