FTW95LA140

During the homebuilt airplane's second flight and first takeoff roll from the 1,200 foot grass strip, it struck a fence at the departure end of the runway, impacted a drainage ditch and came to rest inverted. The pilot stated that he 'should have been airborne in 400 feet.' He further stated that he had set the ground adjustable propeller 'to get an RPM of 2475' as this was the red line marked on the tachometer. According to the manufacturer, the maximum continuous rated RPM of the engine, which should correspond to the red line on the tachometer, is 2700 RPM. The pilot reported that he became aware of this discrepancy after the accident.

On March 18, 1995, at 1640 central standard time, a homebuilt Polliwagen PW-1, N192EB, collided with a fence during takeoff from a private airstrip near New Waverly, Texas. The private pilot sustained serious injuries. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the CFR Part 91 personal flight.

According to the pilot, who was the builder of the airplane, this was to be the aircraft's second flight and the first takeoff from the 1,200 foot grass strip. He reported that the "rpm was 2375, airspeed was 65" when he "pulled back on the stick, and, as the nose gear came up, I hit the fence at the north end of my runway." The airplane then impacted a drainage ditch and came to rest inverted on a public road adjacent to the airstrip.

The pilot stated that he "should have become airborne in 400 feet." He further stated that, prior to takeoff, he had set the ground adjustable propeller "to get an rpm of 2475" as this was the red line marked on the tachometer. According to the manufacturer, the maximum continuous rated rpm of the engine, which should correspond to the red line on the tachometer, is 2700 rpm. On the pilot's enclosed report, he wrote that he "found out later, red line should have been 2,700."