BFO95LA008

The pilot reported that during the attempted takeoff he rotated the airplane at 70 knots and leveled at three to four feet above the runway to increase speed. He stated that the airplane settled back to the runway, then became airborne again and at 15 to 20 feet above the ground the right wing dropped. The pilot stated he corrected by applying the rudder. He stated about three or four seconds passed and the right wing dropped 60 to 70 degrees and the nose dropped. The airplane impacted terrain right wing first. The pilot stated the winds were out of the south at 10 to 15 miles per hour and that the airplane was at max weight. He stated he believed the airplane was caught by a 'wind swirl' or 'vortex.' He stated there was no preimpact mechanical malfunction.

On Saturday, October 29, 1994, at 0950 eastern daylight time, an American General AA1, N6114L, collided with terrain during takeoff from a grass runway at Beach City Airport near Beach City, Ohio. The pilot was uninjured and his passenger received serious injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was being operated as a personal flight under 14 CFR part 91.

The pilot stated that the airplane checked out well during pre-flight inspection, and was to be operated at its maximum gross weight for the accident flight. The pilot reported that he rotated the airplane at 70 knots, climbed three or four feet and leveled the airplane to further accelerate, when the airplane settled back onto the runway. He further reported that he continued the attempted takeoff because he felt the airplane was beyond "...the point of a safe stop." He stated that the airplane became airborne again, then "...the right wing dipped 20 degrees." He stated he leveled the wings by applying a small amount of rudder, but "...3 or 4 seconds later...[the] right wing immediately dropped 60-70 degrees and [the] nose also dropped, as though entering a spin... ." The aircraft impacted the ground right wingtip first. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction or failure of the airplane.

The reported wind conditions at a weather observation facility located 17 nautical miles north of the accident site about the time of the accident were 11 knots at 190 degrees magnetic. The pilot estimated the wind conditions to be 10 to 15 miles per hour at 190 degrees. The pilot stated he believed that the "...strong southerly winds cause a vortex as winds burble above hangars and houses... ."