What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On March 29, 2001, at 1556 MST, a Piper PA-18-150, N9464D, sustained substantial damage when it performed a ground loop and exited the side of the runway during takeoff roll at Walker Field, Grand Junction, CO. The student pilot and sole occupant received minor injuries. The flight was a local area student solo instructional flight operating under title 14 CFR part 91 and no flight plan was filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. According to preliminary information, the takeoff was being made on runway 11 and the wind was from 020 degrees magnetic heading at 13 knots. The a/c ground looped and went off the south side of the runway. The right wing and right main landing gear separated from the a/c. (-23)the pilot states he obtained a weather briefing including information about the rifle, CO. Area, which was his destination. Denver afss has no record of the pilot calling at all. A METAR for Grand Junction, CO. Issued at 15:56 shows the sinds to be blowing from 020 degrees at 15 knots. That would make it a 90 degree crosswind at 15 knots. The upwind wing reacted adversely once the a/c became airborne. The a/c then struck the ground with the downwind wheel hitting first. Once that wheel slammed into the ground, the a/c made a 180 turn and the landing gear sheared off. The wing tipstruck the ground and was damaged. The fuselage was also bent in this process. The a/c received substantial damage and the pilot received some minor cuts and bruises.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON MARCH 29, 2001, AT 1556 MST, A PIPER PA-18-150, N9464D, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT PERFORMED A GROUND LOOP AND EXITED THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY DURING TAKEOFF ROLL AT WALKER FIELD, GRAND JUNCTION, CO. THE STUDENT PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT WAS A LOCAL AREA STUDENT SOLO INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT OPERATING UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY INFORMATION, THE TAKEOFF WAS BEING MADE ON RUNWAY 11 AND THE WIND WAS FROM 020 DEGREES MAGNETIC HEADING AT 13 KNOTS. THE A/C GROUND LOOPED AND WENT OFF THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE RIGHT WING AND RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE A/C. (-23)THE PILOT STATES HE OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING INCLUDING INFORMATION ABOUT THE RIFLE, CO. AREA, WHICH WAS HIS DESTINATION. DENVER AFSS HAS NO RECORD OF THE PILOT CALLING AT ALL. A METAR FOR GRAND JUNCTION, CO. ISSUED AT 15:56 SHOWS THE SINDS TO BE BLOWING FROM 020 DEGREES AT 15 KNOTS. THAT WOULD MAKE IT A 90 DEGREE CROSSWIND AT 15 KNOTS. THE UPWIND WING REACTED ADVERSELY ONCE THE A/C BECAME AIRBORNE. THE A/C THEN STRUCK THE GROUND WITH THE DOWNWIND WHEEL HITTING FIRST. ONCE THAT WHEEL SLAMMED INTO THE GROUND, THE A/C MADE A 180 TURN AND THE LANDING GEAR SHEARED OFF. THE WING TIPSTRUCK THE GROUND AND WAS DAMAGED. THE FUSELAGE WAS ALSO BENT IN THIS PROCESS. THE A/C RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE PILOT RECEIVED SOME MINOR CUTS AND BRUISES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.