Incident Overview
The takeoff was conducted from a private airstrip located in a cow pasture. The first half of the runway was positioned on the crown of a hill, and the surface sloped downward after the midpoint.
Witness Accounts
A passenger seated in the rear of the aircraft survived the event and reported that during the takeoff roll, the airplane encountered a small ditch. After striking the ditch, the aircraft became airborne, turned left, and climbed with a nose-high attitude. The passenger stated that the engine "did not miss a lick" throughout the sequence.
The pilot's wife, who observed the takeoff from outside, stated that after the aircraft lifted off the ground, it initiated a left turn and subsequently collided with a tree approximately 300 yards from the lift-off point. Following the collision, the airplane continued turning left and impacted the ground in a vertical, nose-first attitude.
Post-Accident Examination
An examination of the aircraft and engine did not reveal any pre-impact malfunctions that would have affected the flight.