Narrative
According to the official accident investigation source, the flight sustained an engine failure immediately after lift-off and collided with a tree near the end of the runway. The pilot stated that the take-off roll had been 'sluggish'. He reported that it was his practice to keep his aircraft outdoors and to only fuel the tanks to about half capacity to avoid the weight penalty. The pilot last flew the aircraft about one week prior to the accident for about half an hour and did not refuel after the last flight.
During the preflight inspection, the pilot stated that he drained a quantity of water from the fuel system. He noted that there had been a lot of rain in the area recently. He also stated that he had drained water from the fuel system on other occasions during his preflight inspections.
Post-Accident Examination
After the accident, an examination of the gascolator revealed the presence of a considerable quantity of water.