CHI97LA155

During takeoff, the pilot said the airplane lifted about ten feet in the air '...for a little bit...' before settling down. It lifted off and settled down again, at which time the nose gear separated from the airframe. She stated that the airplane '... kept flying, like it wanted to go...' until the tail began dragging and the airplane pitched down. It then nosed over and came to rest inverted. In her written statement the pilot said that the conditions '...could have been a little better.' She noted that the hot, humid weather, tall grass on the runway, and full fuel tanks contributed to the aircraft '...not wanting to fly.'

On May 31, 1997 at 1400 central daylight time, a Cessna 150, N60971, was substantially damaged when the airplane impacted the terrain and nosed over during an attempted takeoff at the Woodbine Airport, near Woodbine, Iowa. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. No flight plan was on file. The private pilot and passenger reported no injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.

The pilot said that the airplane lifted about ten feet in the air "...for a little bit..." before settling down. It lifted off and settled down again, at which time the nose gear separated from the airframe. She stated that the airplane "...kept flying, like it wanted to go..." until the tail began dragging and the airplane pitched down. It then nosed over and came to rest inverted. In her written statement, the pilot said that the conditions "...could have been better." She noted that hot, humid weather, tall grass on the runway, and full fuel tanks contributed to the aircraft "...not wanting to fly."

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who examined the airplane at the site found that the throttle was able to be exercised through its full range of motion through eight cycles without difficulty. It was noted that during this time, the accelerator pump continued to deliver fuel as designed. There was no obstruction in the carburetor inlet and the butterfly valve moved through full travel with no restriction. It was determined that all four cylinders were producing compression. There was no fouling of any spark plug, and each one produced a spark when tested.