What happened
Following engine start, the aircraft taxied to the runway, where the pilot requested IFR clearance from air traffic control. After receiving the clearance, which included a specific void time, the pilot initiated the takeoff ground roll. Observers noted that the engine sounds and the takeoff roll appeared normal during the night-time operation.
As the aircraft reached approximately 50 feet of altitude with roughly 1,000 feet of runway remaining, the power on both engines was reduced. The aircraft subsequently touched down on the runway, after which engine power was increased again. Shortly after this sequence, an impact was heard as the aircraft struck the terrain approximately 600 feet from the runway's end. The flight involved zero fatalities and zero injuries reported in the immediate sequence, though the aircraft was destroyed.
Findings
An inspection of the engines and the airframe following the accident revealed no signs of mechanical malfunction or failure. However, several operational discrepancies were identified. The time elapsed between the start of taxiing and the beginning of the takeoff roll was approximately six minutes. The pilot had accepted a clearance with a four-minute void time, and by the time the readback was completed, less than two minutes remained before the void time expired. Additionally, the pilot had not yet updated the transponder to the assigned discrete code. Investigation of the cabin also determined that neither the pilot nor the passenger were wearing their seatbelts or shoulder harnesses at the time of the impact.