What happened
During the initial climb from runway 27, the unspecified aircraft struck trees and a power line within a residential area before impacting the terrain. At the time of the accident, weather observations from two stations indicated winds from 170 degrees at 14 knots gusting to 17 knots, and winds from 200 degrees at 16 knots gusting to 22 knots.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the takeoff configuration and weight and balance accuracy. The pilot utilized a power setting of 35 inches of manifold pressure and a flap setting of 10 degrees. However, the pilot's operating handbook and checklists only authorized takeoff configurations using 36 inches of manifold pressure with either 0 or 25 degrees of flaps; no performance data was available for a 10-degree flap setting.
Discrepancies were identified in the aircraft's weight and balance documentation. While the pilot used a basic empty weight of 2,304 pounds and a center of gravity (CG) of 83.3 inches for calculations, Safety Board calculations determined the actual weight for the accident flight was 3,490 pounds with a CG of 87 inches. The forward CG range for this weight was between 89 inches and 95 inches.
Post-accident examination of the engine revealed spark plug fouling as well as wear on the camshaft and lifter body. It could not be determined if this wear negatively impacted performance because proper short field takeoff procedures were not followed. Additionally, engine logs did not confirm if oil filters had been inspected for metal debris during maintenance.