What happened
The incident occurred during the takeoff phase of flight. The private pilot reported losing directional control while attempting to depart in a quartering left crosswind condition. According to the pilot's account, he believed that he raised the nose of the aircraft too early in the rotation process. This premature lift-off resulted in insufficient airspeed to maintain stability against a gust of wind.
The wind gust pushed the aircraft to the right, causing the landing gear to collapse. The aircraft then struck the pavement, resulting in significant damage to the airframe.
The investigation
The investigation relied primarily on the pilot's report regarding the sequence of events. No mechanical failure was identified prior to the loss of control. The primary factor was the interaction between the aircraft's speed and the crosswind component during the critical takeoff roll.
Findings
The accident was caused by improper use of flight controls during takeoff. Specifically, the pilot raised the tail too soon, leading to a loss of directional control due to insufficient airspeed to counteract the quartering left crosswind gust.