What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 05/09/2024 the riverside FSDO received notice of an aircraft accident at Big Bear airport CA. From the NTSB and dispatched an inspector from riverside within an hour of the notification. The accident involved Cessna privacy data omitted a C195 taildragger, that had gone off the runway during takeoff from runway 08 at 1320 PDT time, struck the drainage area along the pavement edge causing major damage to the airframe, engine and prop. The accident also caused damage to the runway PAPI lights. After discussions with the pilot in command and airport manager it was discovered that a major concern of the accident was due to a circling gusty wind condition that was variable and strong during the afternoon and at the time of takeoff, became a quartering tailwind. The pilot stated that during the time he lifted the tail during rotation for takeoff the wind became a tailwind changing the headwind component and allowing for the loss of control during that phase of flight. The pilot also stated that he flew for the commemorative airforce and had considerable tail wheel time including that in the C195
As the FAA filed it
ON 05/09/2024 THE RIVERSIDE FSDO RECEIVED NOTICE OF AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT AT BIG BEAR AIRPORT CA. FROM THE NTSB AND DISPATCHED AN INSPECTOR FROM RIVERSIDE WITHIN AN HOUR OF THE NOTIFICATION. THE ACCIDENT INVOLVED CESSNA ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ A C195 TAILDRAGGER, THAT HAD GONE OFF THE RUNWAY DURING TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 08 AT 1320 PDT TIME, STRUCK THE DRAINAGE AREA ALONG THE PAVEMENT EDGE CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE AIRFRAME, ENGINE AND PROP. THE ACCIDENT ALSO CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE RUNWAY PAPI LIGHTS. AFTER DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PILOT IN COMMAND AND AIRPORT MANAGER IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT A MAJOR CONCERN OF THE ACCIDENT WAS DUE TO A CIRCLING GUSTY WIND CONDITION THAT WAS VARIABLE AND STRONG DURING THE AFTERNOON AND AT THE TIME OF TAKEOFF, BECAME A QUARTERING TAILWIND. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE TIME HE LIFTED THE TAIL DURING ROTATION FOR TAKEOFF THE WIND BECAME A TAILWIND CHANGING THE HEADWIND COMPONENT AND ALLOWING FOR THE LOSS OF CONTROL DURING THAT PHASE OF FLIGHT. THE PILOT ALSO STATED THAT HE FLEW FOR THE COMMEMORATIVE AIRFORCE AND HAD CONSIDERABLE TAIL WHEEL TIME INCLUDING THAT IN THE C195
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.