The Incident
A pilot attempted to take off from a grass airstrip that the pilot described as a "slight upslope" measuring 2,200 feet in length with random low spots. The takeoff was made after several days of rain, and the ground remained soggy. Following liftoff, the airplane struck a 6-inch square wooden fence post located at the departure end of the runway. The impact tore skin from a wing and damaged the wing spar, aileron, and anti-servo trim tab. The pilot then landed the airplane ahead in an open field approximately 300 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. During the landing, the right main landing gear collapsed.
Examination and Operating Instructions
No mechanical malfunctions were found that contributed to the accident. According to the airplane's owner's handbook, takeoffs should be performed with flaps up. However, the handbook provided takeoff distance data only for configurations with flaps set to 25 degrees, and the data assumed a paved, level, and dry runway with maximum power. At the time of the accident, the wind was approximately 70 degrees off the airplane's nose at 9 knots.