What happened
The pilot was conducting practice takeoffs and landings on runway 35. After completing two successful landings, the pilot initiated another takeoff roll. During the acceleration phase, the pilot looked down to verify the flap configuration. In doing so, the pilot inadvertently pushed the left rudder pedal. This input caused the airplane to veer sharply to the left.
The pilot attempted to correct the deviation by steering right and pulling back on the throttle. However, the aircraft subsequently ground looped. The uncontrolled rotation resulted in the left wing and the left elevator striking the grass surface of the runway. The pilot reported that the wind conditions were calm, with a wind direction from 360 degrees at speeds between 2 and 5 knots.
Findings
The primary factor in this incident was the inadvertent depression of the left rudder pedal during the takeoff roll. This control input caused an asymmetric yaw that the pilot could not fully counteract before the aircraft departed the runway centerline. The resulting ground loop led to contact between the airframe and the runway surface.