Pilot Was Hot-Dogging Just Before Take-Off?

From the NTSB:

On April 19, 2004, at 1400 Eastern Daylight Time, a Cirrus SR20, N8157J, registered to Attic Aircraft Leasing LLC and operated by Aero Atlantic Flight Center, as a 14 CFR Part 91 business flight, collided with trees and ground after departing Greenwood Airport Greenwood, South Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed and a post crash fire ensued. The private pilot and three passengers received fatal injuries. The flight originated from the Greenwood Airport on April 19, 2004, at 1400.

A private pilot stated he was on a cross-country flight from Dover AFB to Eglin AFB and he had stopped at Greenwood, South Carolina for fuel. He observed the accident airplane taxi out and depart from runway 27. The takeoff roll was long and the airplane lifted off the ground in "ground effect." He believed the pilot was "showing off," and thought the airplane was going to collide with the trees off the departure end of the runway. The nose of the airplane was observed to "pitch straight up and the airplane stalled". The left wing dropped and the airplane spiraled down to the left in a nose down attitude until it disappeared from view. He heard an impact sound and then observed black smoke come up above the trees.

An airframe and power plant mechanic located at the Greenwood Airport stated that he observed the accident airplane taxi to runway 27 with both doors open and the flaps in the retract position. The airplane was observed to taxi onto the active runway and depart without conducting an engine run-up.

Another witness stated he was playing golf at a local golf course located off the departure end of runway 27 at the Greenwood Airport. He heard the sound of an airplane engine sputtering; he looked in the direction of the sound and observed the airplane spinning to the ground in a nose down attitude to the left. The airplane made about two to three turns to the left before it collided with trees and the ground, and burst into flames. He immediately telephoned the 911 emergency operator and reported the accident.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov