Accident Details
During the takeoff roll, the pilot of a tailwheel aircraft pushed the yoke forward and then released the pressure. The pilot stated that the tail of the aircraft rose too high and he could not overcome this action with back pressure on the yoke. He then reduced power, and the aircraft nosed over.
Weather Conditions
The pilot reported gusty winds and wind shear at the time of the accident. However, the investigator was unable to find any recorded gusty winds for a four-hour period spanning two hours before to two hours after the accident. Additionally, no evidence of wind shear was found. The aircraft was using Runway 01, and the recorded wind was from 290 degrees at 9 knots.
Investigation
The investigator noted the lack of supporting weather data for the pilot's reports of gusty winds and wind shear. The sequence of events described by the pilot—pushing the yoke forward, releasing pressure, the tail rising too high, inability to counteract with back pressure, and power reduction leading to the nose-over—was documented without additional analysis.