20031213035169A

(-23) On December 13, 2003, at approximately 9:59 a.m. central standard time, an amateur built, single place, SE5A replica, crashed during takeoff. The pilot was participating in a world war I reenactment demonstration at the Texas air museum (XS63) located in Rio Hondo, Texas. The pilot sustained serious injuries and the aircraft was destroyed. Although the wind at the harlingen airport (hrl), located five miles west, was 360 degrees at 14 knots, the pilot elected to depart downwind on runway 17. A Texas dps trooper at the scene stated that the winds were very strong at the time of the accident. Multiple eyewitnesses reported that the aircraft became airborne but did not appear to attain flying speed. They further stated that shortly after liftoff the aircraft settled abruptly contacting the ground just to the right of the runway. Some eyewitnesses stated that the aircraft contacted the ground hard enough to break the right main landing gear. The aircraft became airborne a second time but again appeared to be flying slow and "mushing" with the nose high. The aircraft continued flight and began a left turn. Then the aircraft appeared to stall contacting the ground in a nose and left wing low attitude. The eyewitnesses indicated that the engine seemed to be operating normal.