What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot privacy data omitted took of from runway 24 at palomar airport in Carlsbad, CA (crq) after sunset. He stated that as he climbed away from the end of the runway, a large noise from the engine began. Schreyer said it sounded "mechanical" in nature. He immediately turned downwind and got cleared to land on runway 24.
The Waco is a tail-wheel. privacy data omitted Stated his landing was normal. During the rollout, because the nose of the aircraft is up high in the air while the tail wheel is on the ground, and it was dark, it was difficult for him to see exactly where he was relative to the center of the runway. As he raised the tail slightly to get better visibility, he realized he had drifted well south of the centerline and was near the south edge of the runway. privacy data omitted Said he tried to steered the aircraft back towards the centerline, however, the plane propeller nicked the edge of the runway sign. privacy data omitted Said he did not feel this occur, and continued forward and exited the runway and taxied to the transient ramp to shutdown and park.
After shutting down, privacy data omitted noted a minor damage to the tip of one of the propeller blades. Additionally, he noted that in fact one of the exhaust plenums had fallen off thus creating loud engine exhaust noise.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TOOK OF FROM RUNWAY 24 AT PALOMAR AIRPORT IN CARLSBAD, CA (CRQ) AFTER SUNSET. HE STATED THAT AS HE CLIMBED AWAY FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY, A LARGE NOISE FROM THE ENGINE BEGAN. SCHREYER SAID IT SOUNDED "MECHANICAL" IN NATURE. HE IMMEDIATELY TURNED DOWNWIND AND GOT CLEARED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 24.
THE WACO IS A TAIL-WHEEL. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED HIS LANDING WAS NORMAL. DURING THE ROLLOUT, BECAUSE THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT IS UP HIGH IN THE AIR WHILE THE TAIL WHEEL IS ON THE GROUND, AND IT WAS DARK, IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO SEE EXACTLY WHERE HE WAS RELATIVE TO THE CENTER OF THE RUNWAY. AS HE RAISED THE TAIL SLIGHTLY TO GET BETTER VISIBILITY, HE REALIZED HE HAD DRIFTED WELL SOUTH OF THE CENTERLINE AND WAS NEAR THE SOUTH EDGE OF THE RUNWAY. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SAID HE TRIED TO STEERED THE AIRCRAFT BACK TOWARDS THE CENTERLINE, HOWEVER, THE PLANE PROPELLER NICKED THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY SIGN. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SAID HE DID NOT FEEL THIS OCCUR, AND CONTINUED FORWARD AND EXITED THE RUNWAY AND TAXIED TO THE TRANSIENT RAMP TO SHUTDOWN AND PARK.
AFTER SHUTTING DOWN, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ NOTED A MINOR DAMAGE TO THE TIP OF ONE OF THE PROPELLER BLADES. ADDITIONALLY, HE NOTED THAT IN FACT ONE OF THE EXHAUST PLENUMS HAD FALLEN OFF THUS CREATING LOUD ENGINE EXHAUST NOISE.
Other reports on N171L · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.