Takeoff and Initial Concerns
The private pilot reported that after reaching a rotation speed of 60 miles per hour, the nose lifted off the runway. However, the pilot noted that "the plane felt sluggish and heavy," prompting a decision to "gently eased the nose back down and decided to let the aircraft pick up more airspeed." After a few seconds, the airspeed began to increase again, and the pilot released back pressure, feeling the aircraft begin to climb.
Gust of Wind and Impact
At that point, the pilot stated that the airplane was "hit" by a sudden gust of wind, causing it to be blown to the left of the runway. The airplane subsequently impacted a taxiway sign before impacting the ground and coming to rest upright about 100 to 200 feet off the left side of runway 03. The pilot reported that the wind at the time of the accident was from 150 degrees at 4 knots.