What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 03/18/2021 at 1058 CDT, a Globe swift GC-1B, N78096, s/n 2096, was attempting a takeoff at David Wayne Hooks Airport (kdwh) on runway 35L, when the aircraft encountered a strong crosswind gust, which carried the plane to the left and off of the hard surface of the runway. The aircraft was being operated as a 14 CFR part 91 flight (angel flight). The flight originated at conroe-houston regional airport (kcxo) with an intermediate stop at kdwh to pick up a passenger, and a final destination of alexandria international airport (kaex). The aircraft received damage to the propeller, lower engine cowling and left wing tip fairing, as well as the collapse/shear of the left main landing gear.
The pilot stated that at take-off roll all appeared normal and power was added to full take-off power. At approximately 40 mph he pushed the elevator forward to lift the tail and he began to veer left; he anticipated the weather-vaning with the strong crosswind and applied right rudder with aileron into the wind. He was monitoring the airspeed to get to 65 mph to start rotation when a strong gust simply hit the plane and carried the plane instantly to the left. He indicated that the use of right rudder had no affect against the strong wind. He attempted to abort the takeoff by applying throttle off, but it was too late and the momentum took the aircraft off the runway to the left. After leaving the runway, the aircraft hit a muddy ditch and the main gear dug into the surface, which resulted in the aircraft tipping forward, with the propeller hitting the mud and the right main gear strut broke off.
The reported winds at the time of the incident were from 290° at 17 knots, gusting to 22 knots. The pilot?s handbook reviewed from the aircraft indicated no limitations for crosswind takeoff/landings.
The aircraft records indicate that the last aircraft annual inspection was competed on June 17, 2020 at airframe total time: 2503.2. The aircraft total time at the time of the incident was 2503.5.
When the NTSB report and any other additional information become available, this report will be amended as necessary.
As the FAA filed it
ON 03/18/2021 AT 1058 CDT, A GLOBE SWIFT GC-1B, N78096, S/N 2096, WAS ATTEMPTING A TAKEOFF AT DAVID WAYNE HOOKS AIRPORT (KDWH) ON RUNWAY 35L, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A STRONG CROSSWIND GUST, WHICH CARRIED THE PLANE TO THE LEFT AND OFF OF THE HARD SURFACE OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AS A 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT (ANGEL FLIGHT). THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT CONROE-HOUSTON REGIONAL AIRPORT (KCXO) WITH AN INTERMEDIATE STOP AT KDWH TO PICK UP A PASSENGER, AND A FINAL DESTINATION OF ALEXANDRIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KAEX). THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER, LOWER ENGINE COWLING AND LEFT WING TIP FAIRING, AS WELL AS THE COLLAPSE/SHEAR OF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR.
THE PILOT STATED THAT AT TAKE-OFF ROLL ALL APPEARED NORMAL AND POWER WAS ADDED TO FULL TAKE-OFF POWER. AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH HE PUSHED THE ELEVATOR FORWARD TO LIFT THE TAIL AND HE BEGAN TO VEER LEFT; HE ANTICIPATED THE WEATHER-VANING WITH THE STRONG CROSSWIND AND APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER WITH AILERON INTO THE WIND. HE WAS MONITORING THE AIRSPEED TO GET TO 65 MPH TO START ROTATION WHEN A STRONG GUST SIMPLY HIT THE PLANE AND CARRIED THE PLANE INSTANTLY TO THE LEFT. HE INDICATED THAT THE USE OF RIGHT RUDDER HAD NO AFFECT AGAINST THE STRONG WIND. HE ATTEMPTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF BY APPLYING THROTTLE OFF, BUT IT WAS TOO LATE AND THE MOMENTUM TOOK THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE RUNWAY TO THE LEFT. AFTER LEAVING THE RUNWAY, THE AIRCRAFT HIT A MUDDY DITCH AND THE MAIN GEAR DUG INTO THE SURFACE, WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT TIPPING FORWARD, WITH THE PROPELLER HITTING THE MUD AND THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR STRUT BROKE OFF.
THE REPORTED WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT WERE FROM 290° AT 17 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 22 KNOTS. THE PILOT?S HANDBOOK REVIEWED FROM THE AIRCRAFT INDICATED NO LIMITATIONS FOR CROSSWIND TAKEOFF/LANDINGS.
THE AIRCRAFT RECORDS INDICATE THAT THE LAST AIRCRAFT ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS COMPETED ON JUNE 17, 2020 AT AIRFRAME TOTAL TIME: 2503.2. THE AIRCRAFT TOTAL TIME AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT WAS 2503.5.
WHEN THE NTSB REPORT AND ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BECOME AVAILABLE, THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED AS NECESSARY.
Other reports on N78096 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.