Incident Overview
A pilot reported that while conducting a touch-and-go landing on a hayfield located at his brother's ranch, the aircraft encountered a badger hole. According to the pilot, after rolling a short distance, he applied full power for takeoff. At the point of lift-off, the aircraft struck a badger hole, which caused a sudden jerk. The pilot corrected by steering left, but found himself near a low-lying area filled with willow bushes.
Loss of Control and Impact
The pilot stated that he lost airspeed and the nose of the airplane was pitched up. To avoid taller willows, he turned to the right. Subsequently, the aircraft mushed through the willows and struck the opposite bank of the low-lying area. The impact resulted in substantial damage to both wings and separated the empennage from the aft fuselage.
Examination Findings
An examination of the aircraft revealed no mechanical anomalies prior to the accident. The pilot's account attributes the sequence of events to the initial encounter with the badger hole, which disrupted the takeoff roll and led to a loss of control.