Accident Overview
A private certificated pilot was conducting a personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91. The departure was from a grass surface runway measuring approximately 3,000 feet in length and 150 feet in width.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot, during the takeoff run the engine did not seem to be producing full power. The airplane lifted off to about 10 feet above ground level, at which point the pilot decided to abort the takeoff and pulled the throttle to idle. The airplane then landed hard and began to veer to the left. The pilot reported that the airplane ground looped to the left, departed the left side of the runway, and collided with alder bushes. The accident resulted in structural damage to the right main landing gear, the left wing, and the left aileron.
Post-Accident Findings
The pilot stated that the engine did not have any mechanical malfunction. He noted that after the accident he discovered that the carburetor heat control was in the "on" position.