What happened
During a VFR positioning flight, the pilot reported that the aircraft rapidly and prematurely became airborne during the takeoff roll. The aircraft began to yaw to the right and entered a rapid descent while continuing to yaw. During this sequence, the airplane bounced on the runway and became airborne a second time.
After climbing to approximately 1,200 feet, the pilot observed damage to the top of the left wing. To ensure access to maintenance services, the pilot elected to proceed to the destination airport. However, approximately 10 miles from the departure airport, the left main landing gear partially separated from the wing, remaining attached only by the hydraulic brake line. The pilot subsequently returned to the departure airport and performed a landing.
At the time of takeoff, winds were reported as variable from 070 degrees to 130 degrees at 15-20 knots, with gusts reaching 25-30 knots. There were no known mechanical anomalies with the aircraft prior to the accident.
The investigation
An FAA airworthiness inspector examined the aircraft and determined that during the bounced takeoff, the left main landing gear attachments had been sheared from the wing spar. Additionally, the inspection revealed that the outboard left wing section and the aileron sustained damage during the emergency landing.