What happened
During a local flight, the crew of a Cessna (type not specified) landed south of the airport and taxied back to the departure end of the runway. The instructor noted that while the wind had been from the south all afternoon, it was light at the time of the accident takeoff. Using soft field techniques and the full length of the runway, the aircraft experienced degraded acceleration just past the halfway point.
As the aircraft passed the abort point, the crew elected to continue the takeoff to avoid a dangerous roadway area, despite the aircraft being behind the power curve. After liftoff, the aircraft maintained a relatively high pitch attitude and did not level out significantly. The aircraft initially climbed to approximately 40 feet above ground level but then settled lower, bobbing in and out of ground effect as it approached the end of the runway.
Due to an inability to climb or accelerate, the crew was forced to fly under a set of power lines located along a roadway bordering the south side of the airport. The decision was made to cut the engine power and impact the terrain before reaching further obstructions such as trees. The aircraft sustained substantial damage during the impact. Upon exiting the aircraft, the instructor noted the wind had shifted to the north.
Findings
The pilots reported no mechanical or engine problems prior to or during the accident. The investigation noted that the aircraft was unable to climb and was struggling to accelerate during the takeoff phase.