19990919027809A

(.19) ON SEPTEMBER 19, 1999, AT 1706 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A ROCKWELL S-2R, N4168X, COLLIDED WITH TREES AFTER TAKEOFF FROM A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP NEAR ACAMPO, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRPLANE, OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91, WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DESTROYED IN A POSTIMPACT FIRE. THE PRIVATE PILOT/OWNER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT WAS SCHEDULED TO TERMINATE AT THE LODI AIRPORT, LODI, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRPLANE WAS INSPECTED ON-SCENE BY A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTOR. HE STATED THAT THE AIRSTRIP WAS APPROX. THE SIZE OF A SINGLE LANE ROAD. ON EACH SIDE OF THE RUNWAY WERE GRASS, SHRUBS, AND WEEDS APPROX. 2-3 FEET TALL. THE FAA INSPECTOR FURTHER STATED THAT THERE WERE TREES ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND RAILROAD TRACKS. HE REPORTED THAT HE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE LOGBOOKS WERE ONBOARD THE AIRPLANE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND WERE DESTROYED IN THE POSTIMPACT FIRE. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH THE FAA, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS MOVING HIS AIRPLANE TO THE LODI AIRPORT BECAUSE THE LANDOWNERS WERE HAVING LEGAL PROBLEMS AND THE PROPERTY WAS GOING TO BE CONFISCAT ED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT FLY THE AIRPLANE, BUT DID STAR IT EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS TO KEEP THE ENGINE LUBRICATED. THE PILOT STATED THAT ON THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE LEFT WHEEL CAUGHT THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY AND THE SPREADER GOT CAUGHT ON THE VEGETATION OFF TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY. HE STATED THAT HE HAD JUST BECOME AIRBORNE WHEN THE LEFT WING END CAP STRUCK A SMALL TREE. HE ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL; HOWEVER, THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRPLANE STRUCK ANOTHER TREE. HE STATED THAT APPROX 3 FEET OF THE LEFT WING WAS TORN FROM THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE PITCHED UP AND TURNED 180 DEGREES AND IMPACTED RAILROAD TRACKS APPROX. 40 YARDS FROM THE SECOND TREE. WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT STATED THAT DURING THE RUN-UP NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED WITH THE ENGINE. THEY FURTHER REPORTED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF AND ACCIDENT SEQUENCE THE ENGINE SOUNDED AS IF IT WAS PRODUCING FULL POWER. THEY DID NOT HEAR ANY SPUTTERING OR HESITATION IN THE ENGINE. WITNESS REPORTED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE WINGS WERE LEVEL AND IT APPEARED THAT THE SPREADER HAD BECOME CAUGHT ON THE WEEDS. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THEY ASSISTED THE PILOT OUT OF THE AIRPLANE AND NOTED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE NACELLE. THEY STATED THAT THE FIRE SPREAD FROM THE ENGINE NACELLE DOWNWARD AND THEN UP INTO THE COCKPIT. (-23)ON SEPTEMBER 19, 1999, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS PIC ON A ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL, MODEL S-2R, SERIAL NUMBER 1937R, N4168X. THE A/C WAS LCOATED ON A PRIVATE FIELD, THE WIDTH OF THE RUNWAY AT APPROX. 13 FEET WIDE AND APPROX. 440 FEET FROM INITIAL TAKE-OFF ROLL TO IMPACT WITH THE RAILROAD TRACKS. IMMEDIATELY TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ASPHALT RUNWAY WERE DEAD WEEDS THAT STOOD APPROX. 2-3- FEET. ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DEAD VEGETATION ALSO MEASURED 2-3 FEET. THE DISTANCE FROM THE RIGHT VEGETATION TO THE LEFT IS APPROX. 24 FEET. PIC STARTED DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE RUNWAY BUT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN A/C ON THE ASPHALT DUR TO A COMBINATION OF THE LEFT TIRE FALLING OFF THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY AND THE ELFT SIDE OF THE SPREADER CATCHING ON THE VEGETATION TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY. (.4)THE PRIVATE DIRT STRIP IS THE SIZE OF A SINGLE LANE ROAD WITH VEGETATION, APPROXIMATELY 2 - 3 FEET TALL, AND SMALL TREES ON EITHER SIDE. ON THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE LEFT WHEEL AND SPREADER BECAME ENTANGLED IN TALL VEGETATION, WHICH SLEWED THE AIRPLANE TO THE LEFT. THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE AND THE LEFT WING STRUCK TWO TREES.