What happened
The pilot landed at a unidirectional grass strip that required all landings to be performed to the south and all takeoffs to be performed to the north due to a hill located near the southern end of the runway. Following the initial landing, the pilot attempted a northbound takeoff with a passenger on board. During the takeoff roll, the aircraft impacted trees on the right side of the 1,320-foot grass strip and crashed.
At the time of the accident, the pilot weighed 230 pounds and the passenger weighed 190 pounds. The weather at Richards-Gebaur Airport, located approximately 23 miles west-southwest of the site, consisted of winds from 190 degrees at 8 knots.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's configuration and weight and balance data. The aircraft had undergone several modifications, including shortened wings, the addition of an additional fuel tank to each wing, and the replacement of a Continental C-65 engine with a Continental O-200-A engine.
Weight and balance information indicated that any fuel load exceeding approximately 4 gallons would have placed the aircraft above the allowable takeoff weight. Furthermore, such a fuel load would have positioned the aircraft's center of gravity well aft of the allowable limits.