FTW95LA057

The private pilot, on a local flight took off with a quartering tail wind of 13 knots, up-hill, using only half the available grass runway. Following climb out to 15 or 20 feet, the aircraft settled and impacted the ground hard, nose gear first, separating the nose gear from the aircraft.

On November 30, 1994, at 1130 central standard time, a Cessna 172, N7099A, was substantially damaged during takeoff from Cunningham Field near Lawton, Oklahoma. The private certificated pilot received minor injuries and his passenger was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local personal flight.

During an interview conducted by a Federal Aviation Administrator Inspector, the pilot reported landing the airplane on a 2,600 feet long grass private airfield. He landed into the wind, on runway 17. He turned around at midfield and took off up-hill on runway 35 with a tailwind. Winds were reported by the Lawton, Oklahoma, Flight Service Station to be 220 degrees at 13 gusting to 15 knots. Cessna performance manuals indicate that under these conditions the airplane could clear a 50 foot obstacle in 1,083 feet.

In the initial interview the pilot reported that he landed the plane to the south, stopped about midfield, turned around and started his ground roll for takeoff to the north. Later, in his written report, he says that he taxied to the end of runway 17 for his departure to the north.

The pilot said that during takeoff the ground was going by him faster than normal and he became aware of the power lines at the end of the field. He further stated that the aircraft broke ground and climbed to 15 or 20 feet, then "started to sink fast" descending back to the ground. He reported that the airplane "landed on the nose wheel hard", breaking off the nose wheel and sliding to a stop.

Additional reports on the air frame and engine are enclosed.