# NTSB NYC98LA131: Narrin-Whittman W-8 Tailwind, N2713C, Germanstown, PA, June 21, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 21, 1998, 18:30 local (22:30 UTC) - Place: Germanstown, PA - Coordinates: 40.719066, -75.709312 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7191&lon=-75.7093&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 8, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 39575 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC98LA131 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/39575/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA131 ## Probable cause the pilot's delay in initiating an abort after the wind shifted from a headwind to a tailwind during the takeoff roll. A factor was the sudden windshift. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Overrun, takeoff - aborted - weather condition - sudden windshift (contributing factor) - aborted takeoff - delayed, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, takeoff - aborted ## Analysis The airplane began a takeoff roll with a 5 knot headwind. Half-way down the runway, the wind shifted to a 5 to 8 knot tailwind. The airplane never became airborne, but rolled off the departure end the runway and impacted grape vines and a tree. ## Factual narrative On June 21, 1998, about 1830 Eastern Daylight Time, a homebuilt Narrin-Whittman W-8 Tailwind, N2713C, was destroyed during a take-off roll from Flying M Aerodrome (PA88), Germansville, Pennsylvania. Neither the certificated private pilot nor his passenger were injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR 91. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, the pilot said the airplane never got off the ground. It ran off the end of the runway, hit grape vines and a tree, then cartwheeled. The pilot thought the wind shifted during the takeoff roll due to a nearby thunderstorm. A witness, who was also the airport owner, stated that there was a mountain about 3,000 feet north of the field, and that a dark cloud was moving along its ridgeline. He said the airplane was on its takeoff roll from Runway 08, with a headwind of about 5 knots. Approximately half-way through the airplane's takeoff roll, he saw the windsock shift, to 5 to 8 knots on the airplane's tail. At 650 to 800 feet from the departure end, the airport owner thought the airplane was not accelerating, and would abort the takeoff. Instead, the airplane continued its roll, eventually off the end of the runway. According to the airport owner, the pilot said he thought the airplane would fly, but ran out of runway. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2713C](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2713C-1998-11-02), registration cancelled 1998-11-02, S/N 49 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: NARRIN-WHITTMAN W-8 TAILWIND (W-8 TAILWI) - Registry model: [Narrin-Whittman W-8](https://openairdocs.org/model/narrin-whittman-w-8) (registry code 97902EP) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 49 - Airframe hours: 1100 - Engines: Continental O-200A 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Michael B. Narrin, Trustee - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, March 15, 1998, 25 hours before - Departed: PA88 - Airport: PA88, Flying M Aerodrome, runway 8, 2,370 × 100 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 870 total, 110 in this make and model, 846 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 90° at 5 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19980621014639A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980621014639A), Jun 21, 1998: Germansville, PA, Destroyed. The airplane began a takeoff roll with a 5 knot headwind. Half way down the runway, the wind shifted to a 5 to 8 knot tailwind. The airplane nevers became… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.