Incident Details
During takeoff, the pilot set the flaps to between 15 and 20 degrees. He crabbed the airplane to the right, into the wind. The airplane rotated at 65 miles per hour. After rotation, it crabbed further into the wind, climbed to 100 feet, and then began to sink. The pilot lowered the nose to gain airspeed, but the airplane veered left, struck a tree, and flipped over.
A passenger reported that after takeoff, at about 25 feet of altitude, the airplane entered a left bank that was steeper than usual. Subsequently, it lost altitude and crashed.
Pilot and Witness Statements
The pilot stated that the airplane was operating properly. He noted that he had flown out of the same airfield many times under the same conditions, including at night without runway lighting. The passenger did not provide additional details beyond the observed bank and crash.
Operational Information
The takeoff was conducted with a maximum crosswind component velocity of 18 knots. The maximum demonstrated crosswind velocity for the airplane was 11 miles per hour, though this was not a limitation. According to the Owner's Manual, strong crosswind takeoffs are normally performed at the minimum flap setting for the field length. The airplane is accelerated to a slightly higher takeoff speed and then pulled off the ground abruptly to prevent settling back to the runway should a wind drift occur.