What happened
The pilot reported that winds were from 260 degrees at 10 knots during the event. While performing a takeoff roll on runway 28, the aircraft reached approximately 60 miles per hour as the pilot began to bring the tail up for a wheel takeoff. At that moment, the airplane started to veer to the left.
In an attempt to maintain direction, the pilot applied right rudder and right brake. Despite these efforts, the airplane ran off the runway and subsequently ground looped on top of a hill. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the aft fuselage and empennage. No injuries were reported.
The investigation
Investigators examined skid marks left on the runway, which revealed that the right side skid mark was more pronounced than the left side skid mark. A mechanical examination of the aircraft found no evidence of flight control or brake malfunction.