What happened
The flight was departing an airstrip that was in poor condition. During the takeoff roll, the pilot reported that the left main landing gear slipped into a depression in the runway's surface. The airplane continued to slip off the runway until the left wheel struck willows growing on the runway's edge. The pilot stated it was too late to abort the takeoff and the airplane overran the end of the runway.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the condition of the airstrip and the sequence of events during the takeoff roll. The primary finding was that the poor condition of the runway surface contributed to the loss of directional control.
Findings
Contributing factors included the deteriorated state of the airstrip, which featured depressions in the surface. The left main gear's interaction with these irregularities caused the aircraft to veer off the paved area. The pilot determined that aborting the takeoff was no longer possible once the gear slipped.
Safety message
Pilots should exercise extreme caution when operating from airstrips with poor surface conditions, particularly during takeoff rolls where directional control is critical.