What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23)Pilot of N91380 stated he was on takeoff from runway 34 at Arlington Municipal Airport, when the aircraft weathercocked sharply to the right. He corrected back to the left, and attempted to touch down. The aircraft exited the runway to the left and nosed over. The prop struck the ground, losing one blade and the hub, coming to rest inverted. The pilot stated he was unable obtain winds from the AWOS but that a direct crosswind existed at the time of his departure. Runway 29 was closed dut to the impending airshow. Pilot feels this closure was in part a causitive factor in his accident. (.4)the pilot reported that after receiving the automated weather for the airport conditions, he taxied to the run-up area in preparation for departure. The pilot stated that he was aware of a crosswind from the left prior to departure. The pilot reported that during the takeoff he 'received a gust of wind.' The pilot had no memory of the sequence of events after this point. A witness reported that he observed the accident airplane on short final when the right wing suddenly went up in the air and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane pivoted around on the left wing and the airplane came to rest inverted. The witness estimated that the winds were gusting at about 10 to 15 knots from the pilot's left side, and the airport flag was straight out. The airport manager reported that the AWOS was out of service at the time of the accident, but estimated that the winds were from 290 degrees at seven to eight knots, and gusting.
As the FAA filed it
(-23)PILOT OF N91380 STATED HE WAS ON TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 34 AT ARLINGTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WEATHERCOCKED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT. HE CORRECTED BACK TO THE LEFT, AND ATTEMPTED TO TOUCH DOWN. THE AIRCRAFT EXITED THE RUNWAY TO THE LEFT AND NOSED OVER. THE PROP STRUCK THE GROUND, LOSING ONE BLADE AND THE HUB, COMING TO REST INVERTED. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS UNABLE OBTAIN WINDS FROM THE AWOS BUT THAT A DIRECT CROSSWIND EXISTED AT THE TIME OF HIS DEPARTURE. RUNWAY 29 WAS CLOSED DUT TO THE IMPENDING AIRSHOW. PILOT FEELS THIS CLOSURE WAS IN PART A CAUSITIVE FACTOR IN HIS ACCIDENT. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER RECEIVING THE AUTOMATED WEATHER FOR THE AIRPORT CONDITIONS, HE TAXIED TO THE RUN-UP AREA IN PREPARATION FOR DEPARTURE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS AWARE OF A CROSSWIND FROM THE LEFT PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF HE 'RECEIVED A GUST OF WIND.' THE PILOT HAD NO MEMORY OF THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS AFTER THIS POINT. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT HE OBSERVED THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE ON SHORT FINAL WHEN THE RIGHT WING SUDDENLY WENT UP IN THE AIR AND THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE PIVOTED AROUND ON THE LEFT WING AND THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE WITNESS ESTIMATED THAT THE WINDS WERE GUSTING AT ABOUT 10 TO 15 KNOTS FROM THE PILOT'S LEFT SIDE, AND THE AIRPORT FLAG WAS STRAIGHT OUT. THE AIRPORT MANAGER REPORTED THAT THE AWOS WAS OUT OF SERVICE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, BUT ESTIMATED THAT THE WINDS WERE FROM 290 DEGREES AT SEVEN TO EIGHT KNOTS, AND GUSTING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.