Incident Overview
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the accident occurred during takeoff from a private dirt strip located about 16 miles southwest of the Sheridan County Airport (SHR), Sheridan, Wyoming. The airplane was departing in a southbound direction. Repeated attempts to contact the pilot were unsuccessful.
Pilot Account
The pilot reported to the FAA inspector that the airplane had cleared 50-foot trees and was approximately 100 feet above the ground when the right quartering headwind changed. The pilot stated that the airplane was "blown out of the air" as a result of the wind shift. The pilot managed to level the airplane before it struck the ground. After impact, the airplane cartwheeled and came to rest in a nose-down attitude against a tree. The pilot specifically stated that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane.
Weather Conditions
The pilot was unable to recall the wind velocity at the time of the accident. However, witnesses in the area reported that it was windy. Wind information recorded at Sheridan County Airport indicated that the winds were from 140 degrees at 9 knots, gusting to 15 knots.