Accident Details
During the takeoff roll on a grass airstrip, the pilot reported that a strong burst of wind blew the airplane out of control. The airplane departed the grass airstrip to the right, nosed over, and came to rest in a canal. The pilot stated that he had not reached rotation speed when the loss of control occurred.
Pilot Report
The pilot verified that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. He reported taking off from the grass airstrip with a heading of 020 degrees at about 1530. He noted that a wind gust just before rotation came from the west.
Weather and Wind Conditions
According to the pilot, the wind velocity at the accident site was 15 knots gusting to 20 knots, with a wind direction of 320 degrees. The closest weather reporting facility to the accident location reported that from 1510 to 1530, the wind velocity varied from 15 to 17 knots with occasional gusts from 25 knots to 33 knots, and the wind direction was 290 degrees.
Aircraft Damage
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, the vertical stabilizer, and the rudder.
No Mechanical Issues
The pilot confirmed that no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine were present that would have precluded normal operation.
Reference to FAA Handbook
The Federal Aviation Administration has published the Airplane Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-3A (2004). This handbook discusses operations in crosswind conditions and states in part: "Takeoffs and landings in certain crosswind conditions are inadvisable or even dangerous. If the crosswind is great enough to warrant an extreme drift correction, a hazardous landing condition may result. Therefore, the takeoff and landing capabilities with respect to the reported surface wind conditions and the available landing directions must be considered. The headwind component and the crosswind component for a given situation can be determined by reference to a crosswind component chart. It is imperative that pilots determine the maximum crosswind component of each airplane they fly, and avoid operations in wind conditions that exceed the capability of the airplane."