What happened
During takeoff from runway 17, which consisted of rough dirt and gravel with drainage ditches and berms on both sides, the pilot encountered shifting wind conditions. The pilot reported that the wind was initially from the south at approximately 5 knots. As the aircraft approached rotation speed, a gust of wind from the west lifted the right wing.
This gust pushed the aircraft off the left side of the runway. While the pilot attempted to correct the deviation, the aircraft continued off the right side of the runway and struck an adjacent berm. The aircraft came to rest on its belly on the left side of the runway, facing north. Following the event, the pilot noted that the wind had shifted to approximately 5 knots from the north and observed several dust devils on the runway.
The investigation
The inspection of the aircraft revealed significant structural damage. The right main landing gear was bent outboard, while both the left main landing gear and the nose wheel landing gear separated from the aircraft. An insurance assessment determined that the engine firewall, both wing assemblies, both ailerons, the flaps, the empennage, and the horizontal stabilizer required replacement. There were no injuries to the pilot.