What happened
On October 31, 2009, a Piper PA-18-135, registration N1198C, was performing a takeoff roll from a private grass airstrip near Sikeston, Missouri, when it struck a metal carport-type structure. The aircraft was departing to the south toward a destination of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, under visual meteorological conditions. At the time of the accident, the wind was approximately 250 to 260 degrees at 10 knots, creating a direct right crosswind.
No witnesses saw the actual impact, but one individual reported hearing the engine operating normally during the takeoff roll. After the airplane struck the structure, a fuel tank exploded. A witness was able to pull the pilot from the rear seat of the aircraft, but the fire prevented the extraction of the pilot-rated passenger from the front seat. The accident resulted in 2 fatal injuries.
The investigation
An FAA inspector examined the wreckage and found the airplane resting on its right side with extensive fire damage to the fuselage and wings. The wreckage was located approximately 85 feet past the metal structure. A single tire imprint, roughly 445 feet long, led from the right side of the runway centerline to the impact point on the structure. Ground scars consistent with propeller strikes were located between the structure and the wreckage.
Mechanical examination of the Piper PA-18-135 revealed that the control cables were continuous from both the front and rear controls to all flight control surfaces. The engine could be rotated by the propeller, and all four cylinders exhibited proper vacuum and compression. While the magnetos, carburetor, and fuel lines were destroyed by fire, no pre-impact mechanical anomalies were identified.