After taxiing towards the south western end of the strip which
is 4,000 feet long, the pilot decided he would take off into the
south west in light wind conditions. He turned and then taxied to
the north eastern end of the strip and after making a fast turn
through 180 degrees to avoid a soft boggy area, he commenced take
off from a rolling start. The pilot employed a short field take off
technique and the aircraft became airborne at approximately 65
knots after a ground roll of some 900 feet. As the speed was
approaching 80 knots the pilot selected the landing gear "UP" and
almost simultaneously the port engine lost power. The safe speed
for take off is 90 knots. The pilot corrected the initial swing to
the left which the aircraft developed but he was unable to maintain
directional and lateral control and the aircraft struck a sand hill
some 2,700 feet from the point where take off commenced and 400
feet to the left of the strip.
