What happened
The accident occurred while the aircraft was attempting to take off from a grass airstrip under high-temperature conditions, specifically noted as a 90-degree day. During the initial phase of the takeoff roll, the aircraft failed to accelerate sufficiently to exit ground effect. As a result, the landing gear struck an embankment located at the end of the runway. This impact caused the aircraft to nose over and come to rest inverted in a pond situated adjacent to the embankment.
The investigation
Following the accident, the pilot provided a statement regarding the mechanical status of the aircraft prior to the incident. The pilot explicitly stated that there was no engine failure or malfunction detected before the takeoff attempt began.
Findings
The primary factors contributing to the accident included the high ambient temperature which likely degraded performance, and the failure to accelerate out of ground effect. The collision with the embankment and subsequent inversion in the pond were direct consequences of the insufficient airspeed during the takeoff phase. No mechanical issues were identified by the pilot as a contributing factor.