Accident Overview
The pilot was positioning two aircraft and picked up the accident aircraft for the final leg of the journey. He informed company personnel that he was in a hurry to attend a birthday party, a fact later confirmed by his family. The pilot stated he would depart on runway 3 and report upon arrival at the destination. No further communications were received. The wreckage was discovered off the end of the departure runway approximately 40 minutes after the reported takeoff.
Examination
Examination of the wreckage revealed that the aircraft had departed the left side of the runway about 800 feet from the end, crossed over the runway, and entered the woods at the departure end. Post-crash examination found no evidence of pre-crash failure or malfunction of the aircraft structure, flight controls, or engine. The onboard engine computer indicated that the engine was producing normal power and the aircraft was traveling at 98 knots when electrical power was lost during collision with trees.
Pilot Actions
The aircraft's control lock was found tangled in the instrument panel near the left control yoke, where it is normally installed. The lock exhibited multiple abnormal bends, including a 90-degree bend in the last half-inch where it engages the control column. Removing the control lock and checking the flight controls for freedom is part of the normal pilot's checklist. Additionally, the pilot was not wearing his shoulder harness.
Probable Cause
The probable cause as determined by the official investigation: The pilot's failure to remove the control lock prior to takeoff and his failure to abort the takeoff when he was unable to initiate a climb, resulting in the aircraft overrunning the runway and colliding with trees on the departure end of the runway. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's self-induced pressure to arrive at his destination to attend a family affair.