What happened
The flight began with the pilot initiating a takeoff roll on runway 15. Environmental conditions at the time included a wind blowing from 120 degrees at a speed of 8 knots. To maintain alignment with the runway centerline during the ground roll, the pilot applied left aileron and right rudder inputs.
As the aircraft accelerated and reached rotation speed, the pilot raised the tail to lift the nose off the pavement. Immediately following this action, the airplane began to turn sharply to the left. The aircraft departed from the left side of the runway surface. During the excursion, the right wing contacted the ground, resulting in significant structural damage. The sequence concluded with the airplane nosing over.
The investigation
The pilot provided a narrative account of the event, specifically detailing the control inputs used to maintain directional control prior to rotation. The report notes that despite the use of corrective rudder and aileron inputs during the roll, directional control was lost once the aircraft rotated and lifted off the ground.
Findings
The primary factor in this incident was the loss of directional control during the takeoff phase. The aircraft departed the runway environment to the left shortly after rotation. The contact with the ground resulted in damage to the right wing and caused the nose gear to collapse or the fuselage to rest on its nose.
Loss of directional control during the takeoff roll was the critical event leading to the departure from the paved surface. The takeoff phase of flight was compromised by the inability to maintain the centerline after lifting the tail.