What happened
A commercial fishing charter flight was performing a takeoff from a sand beach when the left wingtip struck a tree stump located on the high side of the beach. The impact resulted in the separation of approximately four feet of the wing and the left aileron.
The pilot and three passengers were not injured, while the remaining two passengers sustained minor injuries.
At the time of the accident, the flight was approximately one hour behind schedule. Due to an incoming tide, the width of the available takeoff area had been reduced. The pilot reported that the winds were from the southwest at 10 knots and the takeoff direction was to the west. Witnesses noted that the pilot was taking off into the setting sun without wearing sunglasses. Although the pilot had previously indicated he would wait for a cloud to obscure the sun, he decided to depart.
Findings
Interviews with passengers revealed that the pilot was in a hurry due to both the late schedule and the encroaching tide. The investigation also noted that the takeoff occurred during a period of high glare as the sun was setting.