Accident Sequence
According to the pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane, during the takeoff roll on a rough, dirt airstrip, the airplane encountered a "hump" and bounced into the air prematurely. When the airplane touched back down, one of the tires hit a "rut," causing the airplane to veer left toward a tall sage brush. The pilot stated that he "didn't correct direction properly" and attempted to rotate the airplane "early" to clear the sage brush, but the airplane's main landing gear impacted the sage brush, which resulted in a nose over.
Damage and Mechanical Status
The fuselage and left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.