Accident Summary
A certified flight instructor (CFI) was providing flight instruction to the private pilot, who was also the owner of a tail-wheel airplane. The accident occurred during a takeoff from a 5,500-foot-long, 100-foot-wide asphalt runway.
Sequence of Events
According to the CFI, the private pilot began the takeoff roll. As the airplane approached takeoff speed, it started veering to the right. The CFI took control and attempted to correct the deviation, but the airplane departed the right side of the runway and entered a ground loop. The left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing struck the ground.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination of the runway surface revealed tire marks. The first tire mark appeared approximately 350 feet from the beginning of the runway. A second parallel tire mark started to the left of the first, about 675 feet from the runway start. Both tire marks continued to the accident site. The airplane came to rest in a grass area about 1,132 feet from the beginning of the runway.
After the accident, both pilots expressed uncertainty about whether the private pilot had his feet positioned on the rudder pedals in a manner that could have inadvertently applied the brakes during the takeoff. Winds at the time of the accident were calm.