What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot stated he elected to take off from a gravel bar due to extreme winds and blowing dust because he was becoming very concerned that the high winds would destroy his airplane. Pilot stated he thought about it for a long time and stated that he is normally a very cautious decision maker. Pilot elected to take off; tried to back taxi but was unable to do so due to the wind. Pilot departed and became airborne before the controls had authority and was unable to right the aircraft when the wind flipped it over onto its back. Pilot stated he believes root cause was his decision to depart, rather than to weather the storm in place; combined with the lack of necessary speed at rotation making the aircraft uncontrollable in flight. Pilot stated he is ATP rated and has a good deal of tailwheel time and time in accident aircraft.
Pilot counseled on many factors including securing an aircraft in high winds, use of spoiler wing covers, and takeoff requirements in high winds.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT STATED HE ELECTED TO TAKE OFF FROM A GRAVEL BAR DUE TO EXTREME WINDS AND BLOWING DUST BECAUSE HE WAS BECOMING VERY CONCERNED THAT THE HIGH WINDS WOULD DESTROY HIS AIRPLANE. PILOT STATED HE THOUGHT ABOUT IT FOR A LONG TIME AND STATED THAT HE IS NORMALLY A VERY CAUTIOUS DECISION MAKER. PILOT ELECTED TO TAKE OFF; TRIED TO BACK TAXI BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO DUE TO THE WIND. PILOT DEPARTED AND BECAME AIRBORNE BEFORE THE CONTROLS HAD AUTHORITY AND WAS UNABLE TO RIGHT THE AIRCRAFT WHEN THE WIND FLIPPED IT OVER ONTO ITS BACK. PILOT STATED HE BELIEVES ROOT CAUSE WAS HIS DECISION TO DEPART, RATHER THAN TO WEATHER THE STORM IN PLACE; COMBINED WITH THE LACK OF NECESSARY SPEED AT ROTATION MAKING THE AIRCRAFT UNCONTROLLABLE IN FLIGHT. PILOT STATED HE IS ATP RATED AND HAS A GOOD DEAL OF TAILWHEEL TIME AND TIME IN ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT.
PILOT COUNSELED ON MANY FACTORS INCLUDING SECURING AN AIRCRAFT IN HIGH WINDS, USE OF SPOILER WING COVERS, AND TAKEOFF REQUIREMENTS IN HIGH WINDS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.