Accident Description
The pilot was attempting to depart from a 3,500-foot long grass airstrip. The wind was reported as a 14 knot quartering tailwind. According to the pilot, at an indicated airspeed of approximately 95 knots, the airplane yawed left and rolled left abruptly as it became airborne briefly. The aircraft then settled back onto the ground before climbing again, this time approximately 20 degrees left of the runway heading. During the subsequent climb, the landing gear struck tree tops, and the airplane impacted the ground.
A passenger on board stated that he noticed the flaps were up during the takeoff roll.
Weather and Aircraft Examination
Approximately three minutes after the accident, a weather reporting station located 5.6 nautical miles southwest of the accident site reported wind from 010 degrees at 14 knots. Examination of the engines revealed rotational scoring throughout the first and second stage turbines. No mechanical anomalies were identified during the post-accident inspection.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause was determined to be the pilot's failure to maintain directional control as a result of his improper runway selection for takeoff. A contributing factor was the prevailing right quartering tailwind.