What happened
During a departure from an 800-foot off-airport landing area, the unspecified aircraft failed to achieve flight and subsequently collided with trees located at the departure end of the strip. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was 1,268 pounds under its maximum takeoff weight. The pilot, who had operated from this specific location approximately 500 times, reported that winds were calm during the event.
The investigation
Investigators examined the propeller, which had undergone an overhaul 32 hours prior to the accident. Since that overhaul, the aircraft had only been operated from a runway measuring 3,600 feet in length. A test run of the engine and propeller combination had been performed; during the first two tests, the engine failed to reach the design takeoff static RPM required to produce sufficient takeoff power. However, subsequent testing of the engine was reported as normal. Upon disassembly and inspection, the propeller governor showed no detectable defects.