What happened
A private pilot undergoing instruction initiated a takeoff on runway 22. As the aircraft reached approximately 40 mph, the pilot raised the tail in preparation for liftoff. During this phase, the Beech G18S veered to the left. The flight instructor took control of the aircraft and aborted the takeoff attempt.
During the excursion, the airplane struck a runway light before coming to a final stop on the left side of the runway. No injuries were reported following the incident.
Findings
The flight instructor noted that as power was increased for the takeoff, the right throttle was advanced slightly ahead of the left throttle. This asymmetric thrust, combined with gusty wind conditions, contributed to the leftward veer.
At the time of the event, the wind was recorded at 180 degrees at 17 knots (19 mph), with gusts reaching 24 knots (28 mph). This created a 40-degree left quartering headwind. While the aircraft was not equipped with Geisse safety gear, calculations using the Crosswind Component Chart in the Beech G18S Flight Handbook indicated that the maximum safe crosswind component had not been exceeded.