Incident Overview
A certified flight instructor (CFI) allowed a student pilot to conduct a takeoff from a 2,500-foot grass runway. Before departure, there was a disagreement concerning the correct takeoff procedure, and the pilot's operating handbook was consulted. Approximately halfway through the ground roll, the CFI considered aborting the takeoff because the aircraft was slow to accelerate but did not intervene. The aircraft remained in ground effect, and about three-quarters down the runway, it had not accelerated enough to climb. With insufficient runway remaining and obstructions ahead, the CFI took control and maneuvered the aircraft along a road while attempting to climb. The right wing collided with trees, and the aircraft then crashed into trees and came to rest.
Pilot Statements
The CFI stated that there was no engine failure or malfunction. When asked how the accident could have been prevented, he said he should not have flown into that airstrip.
Runway Conditions
According to an FAA operations inspector who arrived five hours after the accident, the grass was 4 inches high and the runway was soft.