- Date
- August 14, 2007, 16:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place
- Nantucket, MA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N801TSWaco Classic YMF-5
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 30, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Boston FSDO
- FAA report
- 20070814016009A
- Case key
- 66443
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during takeoff roll, which resulted in an on ground collision with an airport sign.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the pilot, "with a crosswind at 10+ knots, I attempted a take-off on runway 15. After the tail wheel had lifted but before take-off, a [wind] gust suddenly drove the aircraft towards the right edge of the runway. Rather then incur a ground loop for the amount of correction necessary, I decelerated straight ahead. Where upon I hit what I later found out was a large runway sign off the side of the runway in the grassy area." The pilot further stated that, "I should have requested runway 6, which was almost aligned with the wind." Additionally, the pilot reported no mechanical malfunction or failure with the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar and left main strut.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, "with a crosswind at 10+ knots, I attempted a take-off on runway 15. After the tail wheel had lifted but before take-off, a [wind] gust suddenly drove the aircraft towards the right edge of the runway. Rather then incur a ground loop for the amount of correction necessary, I decelerated straight ahead. Where upon I hit what I later found out was a large runway sign off the side of the runway in the grassy area." The pilot further stated that, "I should have requested runway 6, which was almost aligned with the wind." Additionally, the pilot reported no mechanical malfunction or failure with the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar and left main strut.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N801TS
- Reported as
- Waco Classic YMF-5
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- F5C-090
- Airframe hours
- 150
- Engine
- Jacobs R755-B2M, 275 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Thomas Carl Schneider
- Registered owner
- Schneider Aero Services LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 2007 · 13 hours before
- Departed
- ACK · Nantucket, MA
- Airport
- ACK · Nantucket Memorial Airport, runway 15, 4,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 1, 2006
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,746 total · 199 in this make and model · 38 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.89 inHg
- Observed at
- ACK
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.