20020712016919A

(.19) On July 12, 2002, at 2015 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt zodiac ch 601-H airplane, N422EZ, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain during takeoff at the weltzien skypark, wadsworth, Ohio. The certificated private pilot/owner and one passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR part 91. During a telephone interview, the pilot said he performed a preflight inspection, serviced the airplane with fuel, and taxied for takeoff from runway 21. He said the preflight runup was "normal", and that the airplane accelerated and lifted off as expected. However, after liftoff and acceleration in ground effect, the airplane would not climb. He said the airplane sank, struck the tail, continued off the departure end of the runway, crossed a road, and came to rest between trees. According to the pilot: "I got off the ground and started my climb out and the airplane started to sink. I pulled the yoke back, got behind the power curve, and crashed off the FAR side of the runway. I hit the tail first." "I wasn't more than 50 feet off the ground. It really felt like I hit a dow ndraft I pulled back and got the nose up too high and got into a departure stall." In written statements, the pilot gave similar accounts and said he "overreacted". During a telephone interview, a flight instructor at weltzien skypark said he was flying in the traffic pattern when the wind picked up from the north. He said the local policy was to use runway 21 when the wind was calm, and that runway 21 had been the active runway for most of the day. According to the flight instructor, he aborted a landing to runway 21 due to a strong tailwind. He said he reversed direction in the traffic pattern, announced the runway change over the UNICOM frequency, and configured the airplane for landing on runway 03 as the accident airplane taxied for departure from runway 21. The flight instructor said that when his airplane was on short final for landing on runway 03, he advised N422EZ to "hold short", because he was landing opposite their intended direction of takeoff. According to the flight instructor: "after landing, I told him 'the new active runway is 03', and he thanked me for the advisement. It really surprised me when he took off from 21. I mean, I see this guy going by me about 4 feet off the ground with a 70-degree nose-high attitude. He was left of 21, out of runway, and way behind the power curve." The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land. His most recent federal aviation administration (FAA) third class medical certificate was issued may 7, 2002. The pilot reported 384 hours of flight experience, 282 hours of which were in the accident airplane. The pilot built the accident airplane. He registered the airplane in the experimental category, and was issued an FAA airworthiness certificate on September 22, 1995. When questioned about the performance and handling of the airplane, the pilot said: "it seemed to be running fine. It gets off the ground and it really climbs out. The wind had changed, and I went off the east side. I didn't think the winds were that much of a factor, but maybe that was my fault." The weather reported at the wooster wayne county airport, 10 miles south of wadsworth, included winds from 330 at 6 knots. The weather reported at the akron fulton international airport, 15 miles east of wadsworth, included winds from 080 degrees at 6 knots. (-23) visual meteorological condition. Pilot took off with quartering tail wind. Departed runway 21 (wind from the north). Aircraft was at low altitude further down the runway than normal. Pilot pulled back on stick and aircraft sank-tail struck ground first. Aircraft crossed ditch at end of runway shearing the landing gear.