What happened
Operating under visual meteorological conditions, the pilot initiated a takeoff roll on the runway. The aircraft type became airborne approximately 1,300 feet into the roll, a distance representing roughly 75% of the expected ground roll for the aircraft's weight and environmental conditions. Shortly after rotation, the aircraft began a left roll. Within seconds, the plane reached an altitude of 80 feet above ground level while in a 90-degree left bank. The nose subsequently dropped, causing the aircraft to roll inverted and strike the ground in a nose-down, right-wing-low attitude. The impact resulted in the destruction of the aircraft.
Findings
Post-accident investigations confirmed that the engines, airframe, and flight controls were functional, with both engines producing high, equal power at the moment of impact. No mechanical anomalies or engine failures were identified that would have prevented normal operation. An autopsy of the pilot found no natural diseases that could have contributed to the accident.
Evidence from surveillance footage indicated that the elevator was positioned in an almost full nose-up position during taxi and the start of the takeoff roll. It was determined that the pilot had failed to perform a preflight inspection or a necessary control check prior to departure. The investigation suggests that the night before the accident, the pilot had used an unapproved device to lock the elevator in the trailing edge up position to avoid a hangar obstacle. While no physical control lock was found in the cabin, it is believed an object was placed between the elevator balance weight and the horizontal stabilizer. The pilot's failure to release the elevator lock and verify control positions, likely due to distractions and time pressure, led to the loss of control.