Incident Overview
A Piper PA-24 airplane veered left immediately after departing runway 24. The pilot lost directional control, and the aircraft departed the runway to the left. While off the runway, the pilot encountered a wind tetrahedron in the path and attempted to pull up and fly over it. However, the belly of the airplane struck the tetrahedron. The pilot then reduced power and completed a landing on the grass infield of the airport.
Pilot Account
The pilot stated that he believed the loss of directional control was due to a phenomenon known as "wheelbarrowing." He also expressed that the PA-24 is susceptible to this effect. The pilot further stated that he felt the event resulted from pilot error and was not related to a maintenance problem.
Reference to FAA Guidance
According to the Federal Aviation Administration Airplane Flying Handbook: "Holding the airplane on the ground unnecessarily puts excessive pressure on the nosewheel, (and) may result in wheelbarrowing..."