What happened
During an attempt to depart from runway 7, an aircraft experienced a significant excursion. While the aircraft was accelerating down the 2,700-foot runway, the pilot initiated rotation at 500 feet with the airspeed at redline. Upon rotation, the plane veered toward the right side of the runway. During this maneuver, the aircraft struck a light pole, a fence, and a taxiway sign before eventually coming to a stop in a location situated between two buildings.
At the time of the incident, visibility was reported at 1/8 mile due to fog, which was below the airport's required takeoff minimums of 1 mile visibility and 400 feet.
Findings
According to the pilot in command, all preflight and run-up inspections had been performed successfully. A passenger following the checklist was also on board. The pilot noted that the right engine experienced a surge shortly after the veer occurred, though power instruments were not recorded at that moment. A passenger seated behind the pilot observed that the hand of the pilot-rated passenger was positioned on the throttle controls during the event. Post-accident inspections of the engines and related systems showed no evidence of mechanical failure prior to the impact.