Accident Overview
A pilot was conducting a practice flight focused on takeoffs and landings. After completing two uneventful circuits in the traffic pattern, the pilot aligned the airplane on runway 8 for another takeoff.
Sequence of Events
As the pilot applied engine power, right rudder was used to center the airplane on the runway. Approximately 50 feet into the takeoff roll, the airplane veered to the left. In response, the pilot applied right brake and right rudder, but the airplane became "momentarily airborne." The pilot then reduced engine power, and as the airplane settled back onto the runway, it veered to the right. Despite attempts to stop the airplane with brakes, it continued off the right side of the runway, traveled through mud, and subsequently the left main landing gear collapsed.
Wreckage Examination
An examination by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the airplane came to rest on the left side of the fuselage. The tailwheel attachment tube was separated from the empennage, but the tailwheel control cables remained attached. Substantial damage was incurred by the left wing, left elevator, and left horizontal stabilizer.