Witness Observations
A commercial pilot who observed the takeoff reported that the airplane used "lots" of runway during the attempt. The nose lifted "too early and way too slow," and the airplane "struggled" to become airborne, appearing tail-heavy with an extreme pitch angle of about 45 degrees nose-up. The witness noted that only ground effect seemed to keep the nose up. After a very brief airborne period, the airplane sank back to the ground and veered off the left side of the runway. The nose remained up throughout; the airplane did not roll off on a wing, and the wings did not wobble. Engine noise was described as a "shriek," loud and continuous until impact.
Another witness at a different location corroborated the extreme nose-high takeoff attitude and the brief duration of flight. This witness found it odd that an airplane with that much power would use so much runway.
Runway and Ground Evidence
A runway inspection found no evidence of foreign objects or aircraft debris. Tire tracks from the main landing gear showed that the airplane veered off the left side of the paved surface at a 20-degree angle, approximately 3,645 feet from the runway's approach end. The tracks continued for about 775 feet, then turned back to parallel the runway for another 650 feet, ending about 50 feet prior to a chain link fence. There was no evidence that the nose wheel was on the ground prior to the fence. The fence, located about 1,300 feet along the airplane's off-runway ground track and 200 feet to the left of the runway edge stripe, was bent over in the direction of travel. Ground scars began about 150 feet beyond the fence, and the main wreckage came to rest 300 feet beyond the beginning of the ground scars.
Pilot Actions
The first officer advised a witness that he would be making the takeoff; however, the identity of the pilot at the controls during the accident sequence could not be confirmed. When asked prior to the flight if he would be making a high-performance takeoff, the captain replied that he did not know.
Probable Cause
The probable cause of the accident was the (undetermined) pilot-at-the-controls' early and over rotation of the airplane's nose during the takeoff attempt, and his failure to maintain directional control. Also causal was the captain's inadequate remedial action, both during the takeoff attempt and after the airplane departed the runway. There was no evidence of mechanical malfunction.