What happened
Following a landing on a private airport that was closed to public use, the pilot was prohibited from conducting another takeoff from that facility. Instead, he obtained permission from the owner of an adjacent gravel property to utilize a haul road for departure. The elevation of this road was approximately 9,400 feet.
The pilot taxied off the airport and onto the gravel haul road. During the takeoff roll, he lowered the aircraft's tail as he approached lift-off speed. At that moment, the aircraft encountered a rolling dip in the road surface. This irregularity caused the aircraft to lift off to an altitude of approximately 15 to 20 feet above ground level. The pilot then rolled the aircraft into a shallow right turn.
According to the pilot's account, he experienced a loss of engine power at this point. He attempted to maintain control by leveling the wings and applying full flaps in an effort to continue flying. However, the aircraft subsequently struck its nose on the ground and spun 270 degrees to the left.
The investigation
A post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed that the carburetor heat was engaged and the mixture control was set to full rich. Despite these settings, no evidence of a pre-impact mechanical malfunction was found. The density altitude at the time of the accident was estimated to be approximately 10,500 feet.
Findings
The primary contributing factor was the high density altitude of approximately 10,500 feet, which significantly degraded aircraft performance. The use of an unprepared surface with irregularities, such as rolling dips, further compromised the takeoff roll. The combination of reduced engine power and the rough terrain led to the loss of control during the initial climb phase.