No fatalities

19 Feb 2008: Aviat A-1B — Brad Mercer — Winder, GA

Winder, GA, United States

On 19 Feb 2008, an Aviat A-1B operated by Brad Mercer was involved in an aviation accident near Winder, GA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll. Contributing to the accident was the gusty crosswind condition. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 6 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

The pilot of an Avitat A-1B reported a gust of wind caused a ground loop while departing from runway 23. Despite adding engine power, the aircraft veered off into the woods, sustaining structural damage.

Accident Overview

According to the pilot of an Avitat A-1B, the accident occurred during departure from runway 23. The pilot stated that a gust of wind caused a ground loop-type maneuver. In an attempt to correct the direction, he applied additional engine power, but the wind overpowered his control inputs, resulting in the airplane rolling off the runway into the woods.

Damage Description

The pilot reported that the landing gear was bent due to inadvertent side loading, which caused the wing and propeller to strike the ground. As the airplane proceeded tail-first into the trees, the tail section and fuselage sustained bending damage.

Aircraft and Pilot Information

The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane prior to the accident. The aircraft is an Avitat A-1B. No other details about the pilot or the specific aircraft registration were provided in the source.

Weather Conditions

The reported wind at the airport around the time of the accident was from 290 degrees at 14 knots, gusting to 24 knots.

Contributing factors

Causes

Directional control — Not attained/maintained

Other contributing factors

GustsCrosswindPilotTree(s)