What happened
The pilot evaluated the local weather conditions prior to departure, noting that winds were variable between 7 and 10 knots with gusts reaching 15 knots, generally coming from the east. Based on these conditions, the pilot elected to depart toward the east.
During the takeoff roll, the airplane experienced a slow ground roll due to the soft dirt surface of the runway. Approximately two-thirds down the runway, the aircraft struck a hump on the runway surface and subsequently became airborne. To gain airspeed, the pilot lowered the nose slightly.
However, at the end of the runway, the wind shifted from a headwind to a tailwind. This sudden change in wind conditions caused the airplane to settle into the juniper bushes located at the departure end of the runway. The impact resulted in a nosedown attitude and substantial damage to the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events during takeoff and the immediate aftermath. Key findings included:
- The ground roll was slower than expected due to the soft dirt surface.
- The airplane struck a hump on the runway before becoming airborne.
- The wind shifted from a headwind to a tailwind at the end of the runway.
- The airplane settled into juniper bushes and nosed over.
Findings
Contributing factors to this accident included:
- Variable winds with gusts to 15 knots.
- Soft dirt runway surface affecting ground roll.
- Runway hump struck during takeoff.
- Wind shift from headwind to tailwind at the end of the runway.