Background
Witnesses reported hearing the engines start, after which the airplane taxied to the runway. The pilot then contacted air traffic control (ATC) for an instrument flight rules (IFR) clearance. The clearance was issued with a short void time. The pilot acknowledged the clearance and began the takeoff ground roll.
Sequence of Events
Witnesses stated that the night-time takeoff roll and engine sound appeared normal. Near the end of the runway, observers saw the airplane at about 50 feet above the runway with approximately 1,000 feet of runway remaining. At that point, engine power was reduced on both engines. The airplane was heard to touch down, then engine power was reapplied. Shortly thereafter, the sound of impact was heard. The airplane collided with terrain about 600 feet from the end of the runway.
Documentation of events indicated that from the time the aircraft began its taxi to the runway to the time the takeoff roll began was approximately six minutes. Before the takeoff roll began, the pilot had accepted a clearance with a void time of four minutes. By the time the pilot correctly read back the clearance, less than two minutes remained before the void time.
Post-Accident Examination
During the post-accident inspection of the airplane and engines, no evidence was found to indicate a mechanical failure or malfunction. Post-accident documentation of the accident site revealed that neither the pilot nor the passenger were wearing their lap belts or shoulder harnesses. It was also noted that the pilot had not yet selected the discrete transponder code as indicated by the clearance.