LAX95LA049

The pilot said that the airplane turned to the left while on the takeoff roll. He said that when he applied corrective rudder the airplane turned harder to the left, momentarily became airborne, landed on the grass next to the runway, bounced, and became airborne again. The airplane was flying toward the airport fueling facility and the pilot elected to land the airplane between the fueling facility and a line of parked airplanes. The airplane's left wing struck a light pole and then collided with two parked airplanes. The pilot indicated in the report that the airplane did not experience any mechanical malfunctions or failures. The FAA on-scene inspector said the airplane struck a runway light before it exited the runway environment and then became airborne.

On December 11, 1994, at 1240 hours Pacific standard time, the pilot of a Piper PA-28-140, N6882W, lost control on takeoff, exited the left side of runway 26, and collided with a light pole and a parked airplane, N2285P. The pilot was beginning a local visual flight rules personal flight. The airplane, registered to and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The certificated private pilot did not sustain any injuries, but his passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operations inspector from the Riverside (California) Flight Standards District Office conducted the on-scene investigation. He said that the pilot told him that the airplane encountered a 90-degree crosswind when the nose gear lifted off during the takeoff ground roll. The airplane veered to the left and struck a runway light while airborne. The airplane settled and the left main wheel dug into the soft terrain, causing the airplane to veer more sharply to the left and the airplane became airborne again.

The pilot said that when the airplane was airborne it headed toward the gas pumps and he elected to land the airplane between the gas pumps and the parked airplanes. The airplane's left wing struck a light pole, severing its left wing, and subsequently collided with two parked airplanes.

The FAA inspector said he observed the airplane's skid marks on the runway about 250 feet west of the threshold. The skid marks began near the runway centerline and extended onto the grassy area after the airplane struck the runway light.

The passenger told the FAA inspector that he could not recall any of the events preceding the accident.

The pilot generally repeated his statement to the FAA inspector in the aircraft accident report. He said that during the takeoff roll the airplane ". . . pulled to the left . . . ." When he applied right rudder the airplane ". . . pulled hard left . . . ." The airplane contacted the grass next to the runway and " . . . bounced hard left into the air . . . ." The airplane remained airborne, but was headed toward the airport's fuel pumps about 25 feet above the ground.

The pilot also indicated in the accident report that the airplane did not experience any preexisting mechanical malfunctions or failures.