Background
The airplane arrived the previous afternoon and completed the first overnight stop of a ferry flight to South America. The aircraft was topped off with fuel for the next leg, scheduled to depart to Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Accident Sequence
A witness who observed the departure reported that a similar airplane took off two minutes before the accident aircraft. That first airplane, heavily loaded, broke ground fairly quickly and established a good rate of climb after takeoff. The witness then observed the accident airplane take off and begin its climb. She stated that she immediately noted a marked decrease in performance in the second airplane. The airplane failed to gain altitude after a rather long takeoff roll. The private pilot reported a hard landing in a rough and uneven field. Both main landing gear were torn off at the initial point of ground impact. The airplane came to rest upright.
Investigation
An FAA inspector at the site examined the wreckage. The fuel on board was tested and found free of contaminants. The pilot stated his suspicion that either the turbocharger failed or the propeller was not in the low pitch/high rpm position. Despite these observations, the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.