Accident Overview
An airplane departed from runway 32 and, according to one witness, about 6 seconds after takeoff, "something small and rather dark fell from the plane." Another witness stated that "a tarp of some kind came out from the plane." The airplane was then observed to roll left and pitch down. The flight duration from takeoff to the time of the accident was estimated to be approximately 15 to 20 seconds. The airplane crashed into a wooded area.
Wreckage and Site Examination
An FAA inspector examined the wreckage, accident site, and the departure end of runway 32. Several pieces of Plexiglas, as well as the "Hinge, Engine side cowl forward" from the engine cowl assembly left hand side, were found near the departure end of runway 32.
Examination of the wreckage revealed that the left hand side engine cowling was found farthest from the main wreckage. A gash was noted in the vertical stabilizer from the leading edge aft to the main spar. Examination of the rear canopy revealed that the Plexiglas was fractured with orange paint transfer near the fracture surface.
The left hand side engine cowling was noted to be mostly orange in color and was observed to have the "Hinge, Engine side cowl forward" and the aft upper section of cowling separated. No evidence of engine preimpact failure or malfunction was noted.