Accident Sequence
The airplane was taking off from a 2,700-foot-long by 160-foot-wide grass airstrip. According to the pilot, at an altitude of about 30 feet above ground level, the engine rpm decreased and the airspeed stopped increasing. The pilot initiated an aborted takeoff. During the abort, the airplane "bounced once hard and floated back up 20 ft." It then touched down again in a nose-down attitude, causing the propeller to contact the ground. Subsequently, the airplane veered to the right and collided with trees along the right edge of the airstrip.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported the engine rpm loss and lack of airspeed increase during the initial climb. He described the bounce and subsequent float before the final touchdown with the nose down. The airplane's ground contact with the propeller and the rightward veer into trees were part of the sequence he observed.
Post-Accident Examination
Following the accident, the engine was run in a post-accident test and functioned normally. No anomalies were found during the ground run.