Background
The pilot reported that, the day before the accident flight, he had flown the airplane and wanted to become more comfortable with newly installed instruments. After that flight, while in a hangar, he and a friend turned the airplane's electrical power on to familiarize the pilot with the autopilot system, specifically how it would follow heading bug settings. During the familiarization, they "ran the [pitch] trim all the way up."
Accident Sequence
The pilot stated that, during the accident flight, he did not check the pitch trim setting before takeoff because he believed it would be the same as his previous flight, rather than the setting after the ground familiarization. During takeoff, the nose pitched up severely. He lowered the nose, entering a negative G condition, and discovered that he "did not latch the seat belt very good" and observed his seat belt had disconnected. He was no longer in his seat and could not regain airplane control. The airplane struck the runway, porpoised, and on the third cycle, the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane skidded and struck a taxiway light.
Postaccident Examination
Postaccident examination revealed that the vertical trim tab was in the "full down position," indicating that full nose-up trim was applied. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both engines and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
Checklist Compliance
The pilot operating handbook checklist titled "Before Takeoff" included items: 1. Seat Belts and Shoulder Harnesses – CHECK; and 15. Trim – AS REQUIRED FOR TAKE-OFF. The pilot did not check the trim setting before the accident flight.