Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot of the airplane was departing at night, and reported that as the airplane accelerated during the takeoff he felt the nose landing gear had “shimmied.” About this time he increased the pitch attitude for rotation and felt the nose wheel leave the ground, but it touched back down and the airplane then veered to the left. The pilot was unable to correct and the airplane departed the left side of the runway, encountered a ditch, bounced into the air, then landed hard. During the hard landing the nose landing gear collapsed, and the fuselage and engine mount were substantially damaged. The pilot and a flight instructor examined the airplane after the accident both were unable to identify evidence of any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.