Accident Details
On July 17, 2017, at about 1900 mountain daylight time, an unregistered Golden Circle Air T-Bird II airplane impacted power lines and terrain near Dunn Center, North Dakota. The pilot sustained minor injuries and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was operated by a private individual under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight had just departed from a gravel road.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that at about 1830 he filled the airplane's fuel tanks and pulled it out of the storage building. He then walked to the gravel road to observe wind conditions for about 10 minutes, determining the wind was 7 to 8 knots from the north-northeast. He completed a preflight inspection, an engine run-up, and began the takeoff roll to the south on the gravel road. The airplane lifted off, but a wind gust lifted the left wing, causing the airplane to roll to the right and land back on the gravel road.
Attempted Takeoff and Collision
The pilot stated he wanted to abort the takeoff but insufficient gravel road remained after the wheels touched down, so he advanced the throttle to attempt another takeoff. The airplane did not lift off, continued through a fence, and then into a ditch. It became airborne when it exited the ditch. The pilot attempted to avoid power lines by turning left, but the airplane collided with the power lines and descended nose first into the ground.