What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 6, 1999, at 1550 hours mountain standard time, an experimental widner RV-3A, N5287U, lost directional control on takeoff and veered off runway 5 at the Casa Grande, Arizona, airport. The aircraft, owned and operated by the pilot under 14 CFR part 91, sustained substantial damage. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions existed for the personal cross-country flight that originated from the needles, California, airport he day of the accident and had made an en route fuel stop at Casa Grande. The flight was scheduled to terminate at the deming, new Mexico, airport. Reported winds at the time of the accident were from 300 degrees at 4 knots. The pilot stated that he had stopped at Casa Grande airport for refueling purposes. He stated that on takeoff he lost directional control "possibly from the crosswinds." (-23)the pilot took off in his aircraft on runway 5 at the Casa Grande airport. After takeoff, the pilot stated hearing a radio call that another aircraft was going to land on runway 23. The pilot started looking around, when he looked back, his aircraft was weathervaned 45 degrees to the left. T he pilot stated, that he tried to correct with full right rudder, and that there was no change in correction of his aircraft, he tried adding full throttle and pulled back on the control stick. The aircraft impacted the ground and came to rest inverted. (.4)prior to departure on runway 5, the pilot checked the windsock and noted a 90-degree crosswind at speeds from 5 to 10 mph. He made the decision to continue with the departure. During the takeoff roll, he became distracted after he heard another airplane radio intentions to land on runway 23 and he looked up to find the traffic. The pilot stated that the airplane weathervaned 45 degrees into the wind, veered off the runway, and nosed over.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 6, 1999, AT 1550 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL WIDNER RV-3A, N5287U, LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON TAKEOFF AND VEERED OFF RUNWAY 5 AT THE CASA GRANDE, ARIZONA, AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED FOR THE PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT THAT ORIGINATED FROM THE NEEDLES, CALIFORNIA, AIRPORT HE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT AND HAD MADE AN EN ROUTE FUEL STOP AT CASA GRANDE. THE FLIGHT WAS SCHEDULED TO TERMINATE AT THE DEMING, NEW MEXICO, AIRPORT. REPORTED WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE FROM 300 DEGREES AT 4 KNOTS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD STOPPED AT CASA GRANDE AIRPORT FOR REFUELING PURPOSES. HE STATED THAT ON TAKEOFF HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL "POSSIBLY FROM THE CROSSWINDS." (-23)THE PILOT TOOK OFF IN HIS AIRCRAFT ON RUNWAY 5 AT THE CASA GRANDE AIRPORT. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT STATED HEARING A RADIO CALL THAT ANOTHER AIRCRAFT WAS GOING TO LAND ON RUNWAY 23. THE PILOT STARTED LOOKING AROUND, WHEN HE LOOKED BACK, HIS AIRCRAFT WAS WEATHERVANED 45 DEGREES TO THE LEFT. T HE PILOT STATED, THAT HE TRIED TO CORRECT WITH FULL RIGHT RUDDER, AND THAT THERE WAS NO CHANGE IN CORRECTION OF HIS AIRCRAFT, HE TRIED ADDING FULL THROTTLE AND PULLED BACK ON THE CONTROL STICK. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. (.4)PRIOR TO DEPARTURE ON RUNWAY 5, THE PILOT CHECKED THE WINDSOCK AND NOTED A 90-DEGREE CROSSWIND AT SPEEDS FROM 5 TO 10 MPH. HE MADE THE DECISION TO CONTINUE WITH THE DEPARTURE. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, HE BECAME DISTRACTED AFTER HE HEARD ANOTHER AIRPLANE RADIO INTENTIONS TO LAND ON RUNWAY 23 AND HE LOOKED UP TO FIND THE TRAFFIC. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WEATHERVANED 45 DEGREES INTO THE WIND, VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY, AND NOSED OVER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.