Accident Details
The pilot of a Cessna 172M reported that the preflight inspection, engine runup, and initial takeoff roll on runway 1 were normal. During the takeoff roll, the airplane veered left onto the grass, and the pilot's attempts to steer it back onto the runway were unsuccessful. The airplane crossed a taxiway perpendicular to the runway and became airborne. It continued to drift left, and the left wing struck a tree at a point approximately 25 feet above the ground. The airplane then descended and impacted the terrain, coming to rest upright on a heading of about 245 degrees in the grass on the west side of the runway.
Post-Impact Events
After the airplane came to rest, the pilot exited through the left door and attempted to extinguish a fire in the engine compartment using the airplane's handheld fire extinguisher, but was unable to do so. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and the engine compartment.
Runway and Wind Conditions
Runway 1 was composed of dry asphalt and measured 3,000 feet in length and 50 feet in width. The pilot reported the wind as light and variable. The recorded wind at an airport approximately 22 miles northeast of the accident location, around the time of the accident, was from 280 degrees at 7 knots, with direction varying from 260 to 330 degrees.