What happened
During an aborted takeoff at Johnson Field, a Piper 22 experienced a ground loop and subsequently nosed over approximately 200 feet from the departure end of runway 03. The pilot reported that after rotating the aircraft at 55 knots, the airplane failed to climb as expected. Fearing an inability to clear trees located at the end of the runway, the pilot decided to abort the takeoff with approximately 400 feet of runway remaining.
Upon aborting the takeoff, the pilot brought the aircraft back onto the runway, but the aircraft entered a ground loop. The sequence ended with the aircraft coming to rest 200 feet from the end of the runway. The pilot was not injured.
The investigation
A post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed that it had landed in an inverted position. The nose gear was bent aft, and the engine firewall was buckled. Additional damage was identified on the propeller, engine cowling, fuselage, and the right wing. An inspection of the flight control surfaces showed no mechanical failures, and the pilot reported no prior mechanical malfunctions during the flight.