What happened
During the takeoff roll, the pilot reported that the aircraft failed to accelerate to the required takeoff speed. Consequently, he decided to abort the takeoff after utilizing approximately three-quarters of the available runway length. Despite the aborted attempt, the aircraft overran the end of the runway and collided with a tree.
The runway environment presented specific challenges; the turf runway featured an upslope during its first half, which likely contributed to acceleration difficulties. Additionally, the pilot noted that the grass on the runway was six inches high, increasing rolling resistance.
The investigation
Following the incident, the pilot provided a statement regarding the mechanical condition of the aircraft. He explicitly reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures prior to the event. This suggests that the performance issues were related to environmental factors rather than equipment failure.