NTSB Factual Report

The pilot of a Cirrus SR22 stated that while he was attempting a takeoff on runway 26, an approximate 1,800-foot-long turf runway, the airplane suddenly made a hard left turn, and he lost control of the airplane. The left wingtip struck the ground and the airplane spun around in the opposite direction. The pilot said that at that moment he did not know what happened. However, he and the passenger exited the airplane, and a postcrash fire erupted. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector and the manufacturer of the airplane revealed no mechanical or flight control anomalies. An examination of the turf runway revealed three landing gear tire tracks along the left side, and at the beginning of runway 26. It was also noted that after a ground roll of approximately 200 feet, the tire tracks drifted across the centerline of runway 26, toward the right side. After a ground roll of approximately 620 feet, the airplane rolled through a dip, and then drifted back to the centerline. After a ground roll of approximately 780 feet, the nose landing gear tire track was no longer present. Additionally, after a ground roll of approximately 880 feet, the main landing gear tracks were no longer present. The reported wind at an airport near the accident site, about the time of the accident, was from 240 degrees at 9 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during takeoff roll.