CHI99FA311

The airplane was cleared for takeoff on runway 31 at the Rock County Airport, Janesville, Wisconsin. The manager of the Air Traffic Control Tower said he watched the airplane get airborne just prior to taxiway 'alpha', approximately 2,000 feet down the runway. The airplane climbed out at a 45 degree nose-high pitch attitude. Approximately 100 feet over the intersection of runway 22 and runway 31, the airplane began a left turn. The airplane then turned to the right, 'fishtailed', and 'porpoised' several times. The airplane's nose remained at a high pitch angle the whole time. The airplane began another right turn, but then nosed straight down, hitting the ground. A witness on the ground said that the airplane 'got off in a very short distance, in a ridiculously steep pitch angle.' The airplane started a left turn in a nose-high attitude. The airplane settled, the nose went high, and then the airplane 'fell off to the right into a right-hand spin.' Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.

History of flight

On August 27, 1999, at 1500 central daylight time (cdt), a Walker Breezy, N12BZ, operated by an airline transport pilot, was destroyed when on takeoff from runway 31 (5,396 feet by 150 feet; dry asphalt) at the Rock County Airport, Janesville, Wisconsin, the airplane departed controlled flight and impacted the terrain.

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 pilot was fatally injured. The intended cross-country flight to Beloit, Wisconsin, was originating at the time of the accident.

Several witnesses on the ground saw the airplane takeoff and climb out at a steep pitch angle.

The manager of the Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) at the Rock County Airport said that the airplane was cleared for takeoff at 1450 cdt. The tower manager said he watched the airplane get airborne just prior to taxiway "alpha", approximately 2,000 feet down the runway. The airplane climbed out at a 45 degree nose-high pitch attitude. Approximately 100 feet over the intersection of runway 22 and runway 31, the airplane began a left turn. The airplane then turned to the right and began to fishtail. The airplane porpoised at least twice, maybe three times. The airplane's nose remained at a high pitch angle the whole time. The tower manager said the airplane began another right turn, but then it nosed straight down, hitting the ground. The tower manager telephoned "9-1-1".

A second witness also watched the airplane takeoff. "He got off in a very short distance, in a ridiculously steep pitch angle. He started a left turn. The nose stayed high the whole time. He kind of settled, but was still nose high. It looked as if he had recovered the airplane. Then the nose went high. The airplane fell off to the right into a right-hand spin."

A third witness saw the airplane on climb out. He said that the airplane was just above the "hangar roof line. At approximately 150 feet above ground level, the aircraft pitched up and stalled. The right wing dropped off, the aircraft turned to the right, and leveled off. The aircraft was now headed down runway 04. The aircraft pitched up again and stalled. The right wing again dropped off, and it appeared that the pilot may have tried a wing-over maneuver to pick up airspeed. As the aircraft went out of sight behind the hangar roof line, it was at a steep nose-down vertical angle."

A fourth witness saw the airplane taxi and take off from in front of his hangar. He said that the airplane departed runway 31 and immediately went into what looked like a maximum climb rate. He describe the airplane as "just hanging there". The witness said that "the right wing dropped. but the pilot recovered. The airplane then turned to an easterly heading and again went into what looked like a max rate of climb." The witness said the airplane's right wing dropped again and then entered a spiral which continued until the airplane impacted the ground. The witness said that the airplane's engine sounded fine the entire time. "When he hit the ground, you could hear the engine still running."

Personnel information

The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with single and multi-engine land, instrument airplane ratings. Federal Aviation Administration Airman Records showed the pilot once held a flight instructor certificate for single-engine land, instrument airplanes. The instructor certificate was last renewed on April 29, 1995.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration Medical Certification Branch, the pilot reported having 8,500 total flight hours at his medical examination for a second class medical certificate, on July 27, 1999. The pilot also reported as having flown 50 hours within the previous 6 months of the medical examination.

Aircraft information

The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot and used for pleasure. The airplane was constructed between May, 1982, and September, 1984, by Robert L. Walker of St. Charles, Illinois. A Special Airworthiness Certificate listed the airplane category as "experimental", and its purpose as "operate amateur-built aircraft". The airplane was operated by the builder until it was sold in September, 1994. The airplane was operated in Maine, until the pilot purchased the airplane in 1998. An aircraft logbook entry citing the last recorded condition inspection, dated June 1, 1998, indicated the airplane was trailered to Wisconsin, and reassembled there. An aircraft registration listing the pilot as the owner, dated June 18, 1999, was recovered from the airplane.

A mechanic for Gail Force, Incorporated, Janesville, Wisconsin, said that the airplane came in for an annual condition inspection, approximately 2-1/2 weeks prior to the accident. Work performed on the airplane included a repair on the fuel sending unit, an engine cylinder, and the left strobe light.

The mechanic said that no work was performed on the airplane's flight controls. He said that all of the wing inspection panels were pulled, and he looked through the wings. He said that no cables were frayed. The mechanic said that the general condition of the wings looked good and all of the control surfaces were normal. The mechanic said he also inspected the cables under the seats.

A technician work sheet obtained from Gail Force, Incorporated, dated August 12, 1999, indicated that work was also performed on the oil temperature and pressure gauges. the ammeter, and the airplane's brakes. The total airframe time recorded on the work sheet was 276.4 hours. A copy of the technician work sheet is provided as an addendum to this report.

Another mechanic for Gail Force, Incorporated, said that during the condition inspection, he lubricated and "ragged" the cables. The cables were never disassembled for inspection. The mechanic said that the accident flight was the airplane's first flight after the condition inspection.

Meteorological condition

The weather reporting station at the Rock County Airport, at 1500 cdt, reported the weather as 3,700 feet scattered cloud conditions, 6 miles visibility with haze, temperature of 81 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point of 70 degrees Fahrenheit, winds of 6 knots at 250 degrees magnetic, and an altimeter of 29.96 inches of Mercury (Hg).

The manager of the Rock County Airport ATCT said that at 1450 cdt, they briefed the pilot that the wind conditions were 250 degrees at 6 knots, and that runway 22 was the active runway. The pilot requested to takeoff from runway 31. The tower approved the request.

The tower manager said that the wind conditions were the same at the time of the accident, and increased to 8 knots, 10 minutes after the accident.

Communications

The manager of the Rock County Airport ATCT said that at 1450 cdt, the pilot called the tower via telephone, and told them that he didn't have a radio, and would need a visual signal to clear him for takeoff. At 1459 cdt, with the airplane positioned facing the tower at the approach end of runway 31, the tower signaled the pilot with a light gun, giving him a green light signal and clearing him to takeoff.

Wreckage and impact information

The NTSB on scene investigation began on August 27, 1999, at 1830 cdt.

The airplane main wreckage was found resting inverted in a field adjacent to runway 22 (6,701 feet by 150 feet), 2,126 feet from the approach end, and 138 feet northwest of the runway's right edge.

The airplane's main wreckage consisted of a tandem-seat cockpit area, tricycle nose gear, a tubular frame fuselage, the left and right wings, main landing gear, engine, pusher-propeller, and empennage. The airplane's fuselage was oriented on a 178 degree magnetic heading.

A debris field, consisting of pieces of fabric, fuselage frame tubing, and laminated wood shards, was located immediately sou