20170809010349A

It was reported at Newnan Georgia (kcco) whitlock field on Thursday 08/10/2017 at approximately 1700 EDT a Cessna 195B registration number N2100C during takeoff roll left runway 14 to the left hitting a red runway light, 2 taxi signs on both side of the taxiway. Pilot reported to the ASI and in written statement that winds were 140 at 5 KTS and the aircraft started straight during take-off roll and approximately 40 knots on the roll the aircraft veer sharply to the left. He stated that he applied full right rudder but left the runway hitting the 2 taxi signs just off the runway. Pilot and 1 passenger on board no injuries was reported.

On Friday 08/11/2017 the FAA iic was on scene found that the aircraft was already removed from the scene and stored in a local hangar. The ASI walk through of the scene with the pilot the ground showed a path that the aircraft left the runway to the left running over the runway light (red) and proceeded to the taxiway hitting the first sign on to the taxi way leaving tire tread marks then hitting the second sign then coming to a stop on the grass. The first sign showed signs of propeller strike into a pole of on sign and the second sign showed propeller strike in the upper frame of the taxi sign. One of the airport personnel found a propeller tip from the aircraft lying just off the taxiway approximately 50 yards and close to parallel to the first taxi sign. The aircraft damage included both propeller bent one approximately 5 to 6 inches was broken off both left and right hand main wheel covers were busted, a small puncture hole and dents in the inboards area of the left hand wing, right hand forward of the door area slight buckle (stressed area) that reach up on to the right hand wing, and lower firewall bent upward as well as slight buckle behind the firewall.. No damage to the rear of the aircraft. It was noticed that the tailwheel was not in line with the rudder when the rudder was straight. On request maintenance personnel preliminary inspected tail wheel assembly without dissembling the tail wheel or airframe found the tail wheel was approximately 75% right rudder to center the tail wheel which makes right turns very little.

During pilot interview the pilot had just purchase the aircraft in July 2017 and operated this aircraft for approximately 12HRS and 15 landings. Pilot is rated ATP with approximately 1000 hours of tailwheel time. CFI did indorse pilots log book in this aircraft July 27, 2017 3.1 hour with the pilot. Further interview with the pilot revealed that the pilot thought that during taxi that he had to keep the rudder in during straight taxi he thought that that was part of the characteristics of the aircraft in taxi. Recent tail wheel history August 8, 2014, aircraft total time 2518.2 and hobbs 25.7 showed that the tail wheel strut was leaking and wrong hardware was installed corrective action was replacing upper mount assembly p/n 0312110 and installed overhauled tailwheel strut with all new hardware. Since the tail wheel overhaul and installation the aircraft operated 48.5 hours and 2 annual inspections.