Incident Overview
A private flight attempted to take off from a field at Tumberg, just north of Vårgårda, and collided with trees at the end of the field. The aircraft sustained significant damage, but no injuries were reported among the pilot and four passengers on board.
Flight Details
The flight was the third of the day. The pilot had previously landed on the field and, after a ground stop, planned to take off from the same location. The pilot decided to take off in an easterly direction because obstacles, including buildings and lamp posts, were present to the west. Trees were located at the eastern end of the field, but the pilot assessed that they did not pose a problem and that the field was long enough for an easterly takeoff. No precise calculations were made to determine the required takeoff distance.
Takeoff and Collision
The pilot initiated the takeoff and set the engine controls to full takeoff power. According to the pilot and the passenger in the right front seat, the indicated values for engine rpm and manifold pressure were normal, and the aircraft's acceleration was perceived as normal. At lift-off, the aircraft rolled to the right, and the pilot felt that the aircraft did not climb as expected. The pilot pulled hard on the control yoke in an attempt to climb over the trees at the end of the field but failed to maneuver the aircraft away from them. Consequently, the aircraft collided with the trees.
Aftermath and Investigation
No one was injured in the collision. The aircraft suffered significant damage. The investigation determined that the accident occurred because a robust method for performance calculation of the required takeoff distance was not applied, leading to the flight commencing despite the lack of conditions for a safe start in the chosen direction. Under the prevailing conditions, the required distance for a takeoff exceeded the available distance, making a safe takeoff impossible in the chosen direction.