What happened
During the takeoff roll, the pilot raised the tail of the aircraft once the speed reached 40 miles per hour. Shortly after this maneuver, the airplane began drifting to the left of the runway centerline. The pilot attempted to correct the deviation by applying right rudder; however, the aircraft continued moving left as if a brake were dragging.
In an attempt to abort the takeoff, the pilot reduced engine power, but the aircraft proceeded off the runway and into the grass. During the excursion, the propeller struck the ground, causing the nose of the airplane to rise and the aircraft to overturn onto its back. There were no injuries reported in this incident.
The investigation
An examination of the aircraft revealed no mechanical anomalies. Weather observations at Colorado Springs Municipal Airport, located 9 miles south-southwest of the airport, indicated winds from 100 degrees at 17 knots, gusting to 21 knots. However, a fixed-base operator at the airport reported that winds were originating from the west at approximately 260 degrees with gusts. The operator noted that wind conditions were strong enough to necessitate the suspension of flying operations that day.