On April 26, 1998, about 1200 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 172M airplane, N8969V, sustained substantial damage during a collision with terrain while taking off from a beach area, about 34 miles west of Anchor Point, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight when the accident occurred. The certificated private pilot, and three passengers, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on April 26, 1998, at 2125, the pilot reported he rented the airplane from Bush Air Ventures Inc., Anchorage, Alaska. The pilot said he was departing a beach at Clam Cove, located in the Lake Clark National Park. The wind was blowing from the south about 7 to 10 knots. The pilot began the accident flight take off toward the west, utilizing a short field takeoff technique. Just after lift off, the airplane encountered a crosswind and veered to the right, toward a small bluff. The right main landing gear struck the bluff, tearing off the gear. The airplane came to rest in a small pool of water. The pilot had accrued 70 hours of total flight experience, all of which was accrued in the accident airplane. The pilot received his private pilot certificate on April 25, 1998.