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19980325004209A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Cessna 140 · Norman, OK · March 25, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
March 25, 1998 · 12:00 local
Place
Norman, OK
Airport
University Of Oklahoma
Phase of flight
To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N2044N
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW98LA159
Reported as
Cessna 140
Reported engine
Continental C8512
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
544 total452 in this make and model12 in the last 90 days
N2044NRegistration cancelled Sep 10, 2014 · Cessna 140S/N 12280 · Built 1947Airframe modelCessna 140Engine modelContinental C85 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Runway 17 in use but elected use 21 crosswind forced 140 off runway into a ditch. Gust exceeded crosswind component (.4)the pilot lost control of the airplane during takeoff from the University Of Oklahoma westheimer airport, Norman, Oklahoma. The pilot reported that during the hours preceding the accident he observed "terrific" winds while standing outside a hanger. At the time of the accident the winds were recorded from 190 degrees at 24 knots and gusting to 30 knots. The pilot was instructed to taxi to runway 17 for take-off. After the pilot observed the wind sock he asked the tower controller if runway 21, was more in favor of the wind conditions. The controller informed the pilot that he could use runway 21. As soon as the airplane departed runway 21, the wind "blew the airplane," off runway centerline and it began to move across a drainage ditch that is 60 feet wide. The airplane turned 180 degrees, such that the airplane was put into a tail wind situation, "which caused the airplane to hit the ditch." The airplane came to rest upright extending two feet into the FAR end of the drainage ditch.(-23) the pilot attempted to take off on runway 21 in a strong, gusty cross wind (wind from 190 degrees at 24 knots, gusting to 30 knots). After beginning the takeoff, the aircraft left the runway to the right and continued across the airport property, travelling in a large (approximately 1/8 mile radius) turn until it was headed downwind in a northerly direction. It the crossed taxiway "b" and struck the FAR side of a large drainage ditch with the landing gear and bottom of the fuselage. The pilot stated that he was trying to continue the takeoff throughout this maneuver.

As the FAA filed it

RUNWAY 17 IN USE BUT ELECTED USE 21 CROSSWIND FORCED 140 OFF RUNWAY INTO A DITCH. GUST EXCEEDED CROSSWIND COMPONENT (.4)THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING TAKEOFF FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA WESTHEIMER AIRPORT, NORMAN, OKLAHOMA. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE HOURS PRECEDING THE ACCIDENT HE OBSERVED "TERRIFIC" WINDS WHILE STANDING OUTSIDE A HANGER. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE WINDS WERE RECORDED FROM 190 DEGREES AT 24 KNOTS AND GUSTING TO 30 KNOTS. THE PILOT WAS INSTRUCTED TO TAXI TO RUNWAY 17 FOR TAKE-OFF. AFTER THE PILOT OBSERVED THE WIND SOCK HE ASKED THE TOWER CONTROLLER IF RUNWAY 21, WAS MORE IN FAVOR OF THE WIND CONDITIONS. THE CONTROLLER INFORMED THE PILOT THAT HE COULD USE RUNWAY 21. AS SOON AS THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED RUNWAY 21, THE WIND "BLEW THE AIRPLANE," OFF RUNWAY CENTERLINE AND IT BEGAN TO MOVE ACROSS A DRAINAGE DITCH THAT IS 60 FEET WIDE. THE AIRPLANE TURNED 180 DEGREES, SUCH THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS PUT INTO A TAIL WIND SITUATION, "WHICH CAUSED THE AIRPLANE TO HIT THE DITCH." THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST UPRIGHT EXTENDING TWO FEET INTO THE FAR END OF THE DRAINAGE DITCH.(-23) THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TAKE OFF ON RUNWAY 21 IN A STRONG, GUSTY CROSS WIND (WIND FROM 190 DEGREES AT 24 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 30 KNOTS). AFTER BEGINNING THE TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT LEFT THE RUNWAY TO THE RIGHT AND CONTINUED ACROSS THE AIRPORT PROPERTY, TRAVELLING IN A LARGE (APPROXIMATELY 1/8 MILE RADIUS) TURN UNTIL IT WAS HEADED DOWNWIND IN A NORTHERLY DIRECTION. IT THE CROSSED TAXIWAY "B" AND STRUCK THE FAR SIDE OF A LARGE DRAINAGE DITCH WITH THE LANDING GEAR AND BOTTOM OF THE FUSELAGE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS TRYING TO CONTINUE THE TAKEOFF THROUGHOUT THIS MANEUVER.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW98LA159Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportNorman, OKThe pilot's improper compensation for wind conditions, which resulted in a loss of directional control and collision with a ditch. A contributing factor was the high crosswind.Mar 25, 1998 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N2044N · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19920125003929IGround Taxi, Other Airplane · Duncan, OKWheels caught tall grass while taxiing to ramp. Aircraft flipped over.Jan 25, 1992 · Minor damage