- Date
- September 4, 2012, 08:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Watkins, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N6744JSchneider John W PT-2A
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 29, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO Denver
- FAA report
- 20120904017839A
- Case key
- 85018
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 loss of control during takeoff resulting in a runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was an unexpected wind gust.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
After a preflight inspection of the tailwheeled airplane, the pilot did a run up, verified flight controls, checked engine instruments, and set his flight instruments. The pilot slowly applied full power and began the takeoff roll on the runway center line. Just after the tail lifted off the ground, an unexpected wind gust came from the right and the airplane veered to the left of centerline. The pilot began corrections by applying right rudder and another gust of wind raised the right wing the airplane veered further to the left. The pilot pulled the throttle to idle in an attempt to slow down and abort the takeoff. As the airplane began to stabilize, the pilot thought that he could continue the takeoff so he began to apply full throttle, but the airplane continued to veer to the left. The pilot then immediately pulled the throttle back to idle as the airplane departed the left side of the runway. The pilot thought that he had the airplane under control at that point. While rolling on dirt aside the runway surface, the tailwheel ran over a hole and dug into the dirt and the right main wheel dug into the dirt. The pilot said that this caused the airplane to stop rolling forward. The airplane started to slide sideways and the right wing hit the ground, resulting in structural damage to the wing. The airplane came to a stop and the pilot exited the airplane uninjured. After the accident, the pilot stated that if the tailwheel of the airplane had not dug into the hole, he could have salvaged the runway departure without damage to the airplane.
Factual narrative
After a preflight inspection of the tailwheeled airplane, the pilot did a run up, verified flight controls, checked engine instruments, and set his flight instruments. The pilot slowly applied full power and began the takeoff roll on the runway center line. Just after the tail lifted off the ground, an unexpected wind gust came from the right and the airplane veered to the left of centerline. The pilot began corrections by applying right rudder and another gust of wind raised the right wing the airplane veered further to the left. The pilot pulled the throttle to idle in an attempt to slow down and abort the takeoff. As the airplane began to stabilize, the pilot thought that he could continue the takeoff so he began to apply full throttle, but the airplane continued to veer to the left. The pilot then immediately pulled the throttle back to idle as the airplane departed the left side of the runway. The pilot thought that he had the airplane under control at that point. While rolling on dirt aside the runway surface, the tailwheel ran over a hole and dug into the dirt and the right main wheel dug into the dirt. The pilot said that this caused the airplane to stop rolling forward. The airplane started to slide sideways and the right wing hit the ground, resulting in structural damage to the wing. The airplane came to a stop and the pilot exited the airplane uninjured. After the accident, the pilot stated that if the tailwheel of the airplane had not dug into the hole, he could have salvaged the runway departure without damage to the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6744J
- Reported as
- Schneider John W PT-2A
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 001
- Airframe hours
- 7
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-235 SERIES, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Schneider John W
- Registered owner
- Schneider John W
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · August 22, 2012 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- FTG · Watkins, CO
- Destination
- FTG · Watkins, CO
- Airport
- FTG · Front Range, runway 17, 8,000 × 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
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 10, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 490 total · 7 in this make and model · 20 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 8 knots, gusting 3
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.18 inHg
- Observed at
- FTG
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 19, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 416 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.