- Date
- May 15, 2008, 09:10 local (14:10 UTC)
- Place
- Nickerson, KS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N1264WWeatherly 201B
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Adminisration
- Case key
- 68037
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 directional control during the takeoff roll.
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
During the takeoff roll the single-engine tail-wheel equipped agricultural airplane exited the left side of the 20-foot wide gravel runway despite the pilot's correction of full right rudder and right brake. Once off the runway, the airplane crossed a creek and impacted an embankment, before coming to rest in an upright position. The pilot was able to exit the airplane unassisted. Moments later the airplane was engulfed in flames. The pilot reported that following the accident he observed that the tail-wheel was unlocked and that it may have contributed to the accident. He further stated that the accident may have been prevented by checking that the tail-wheel was locked prior to takeoff.
Factual narrative
During the takeoff roll the single-engine tail-wheel equipped agricultural airplane exited the left side of the 20-foot wide gravel runway despite the pilot's correction of full right rudder and right brake. Once off the runway, the airplane crossed a creek and impacted an embankment, before coming to rest in an upright position. The pilot was able to exit the airplane unassisted. Moments later the airplane was engulfed in flames. The pilot reported that following the accident he observed that the tail-wheel was unlocked and that it may have contributed to the accident. He further stated that the accident may have been prevented by checking that the tail-wheel was locked prior to takeoff.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1264W
- Reported as
- Weatherly 201B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 618
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney R-985, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 2008
- Departed
- Nickerson, KS
- Airport
- NONE · Private Airstrip, runway 09, 2,600 × 20 ft, gravel
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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Last flight review
- March 1, 2007
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 4,010 total · 197 in this make and model · 26 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F
Other investigations on N1264W · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.