What happened
A certificated commercial pilot and three passengers were conducting a night cross-country flight under visual flight rules (VFR) while operating in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). The aircraft was equipped with a specialized hand control mechanism mounted on the right side of the center control console. This configuration required the pilot to operate all aircraft controls, excluding the control column, using only the right hand.
During the takeoff roll, the pilot failed to properly manage the rudder controls by failing to relax pressure on the right rudder. As a result, the airplane drifted to the left and struck an 8-inch berm of snow located along the side of the runway. At the time of the accident, prevailing visibility was fluctuating between 3/4 of a mile and as low as 50 feet, which significantly restricted the pilot's visual acuity. The pilot also noted that the runway lights were obscured by snow.