What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) While taking off on runway 20 with a left crosswind, airman raised the tail of the airplane and began weathervaning left into the wind. The airplane left the ground momentarliy then settled back down onto the runway in a left yaw conditions. The aircraft skidded on the main wheels as it swereved left. The aircraft departed the left side of the runway into a sod drainage area. The right main landing gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest right side low. The pilot met the FAA inspectors with an open beer in his hand. The pilot claimed that a small portable electric heater that was in the cockpit interferred with rudder controls. Jamming of the rudder controls with the heater could not be duplicated by investigators. The Idaho state patrol was summoned to administer a blood-alchohol content test (breathalizer). The airman registered .170 on the breathalizer.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WHILE TAKING OFF ON RUNWAY 20 WITH A LEFT CROSSWIND, AIRMAN RAISED THE TAIL OF THE AIRPLANE AND BEGAN WEATHERVANING LEFT INTO THE WIND.THE AIRPLANE LEFT THE GROUND MOMENTARLIY THEN SETTLED BACK DOWN ONTO THE RUNWAY IN A LEFT YAW CONDITIONS. THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED ON THE MAIN WHEELS AS IT SWEREVED LEFT. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY INTO A SOD DRAINAGE AREA. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST RIGHT SIDE LOW. THE PILOT MET THE FAA INSPECTORS WITH AN OPEN BEER IN HIS HAND. THE PILOT CLAIMED THAT A SMALL PORTABLE ELECTRIC HEATER THAT WAS IN THE COCKPIT INTERFERRED WITH RUDDER CONTROLS. JAMMING OF THE RUDDER CONTROLS WITH THE HEATER COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED BY INVESTIGATORS. THE IDAHO STATE PATROL WAS SUMMONED TO ADMINISTER A BLOOD-ALCHOHOL CONTENT TEST (BREATHALIZER). THE AIRMAN REGISTERED .170 ON THE BREATHALIZER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N51463 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.