Departure and Initial Climb
The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he and his passenger waited most of the day for the wind to calm before taking off from a 1,200-foot dirt and grass airstrip. The wind had initially been 30 knots but decreased to 10 knots. The pilot calculated that with a 10-knot headwind the airplane would rotate about 700 feet down the runway. He monitored wind direction using ribbons placed around the airstrip.
During takeoff, the airplane rotated at approximately 700 feet, climbed to about 8 feet above the ground, and then "it felt like we lost our lift," the pilot recalled. He realized there was insufficient runway remaining to abort the landing, and a brush-covered bank lay at the departure end of the runway.
Bank Clearance and Landing
The airplane began to settle toward the ground while at full power and near a stall, but it cleared the bank. Beyond the bank, the pilot landed on a short sand bar; however, the airplane overran the sand bar and impacted several large rocks.
Post-Accident Observations
After exiting the airplane, the pilot noticed that he had actually departed with an 8-10 knot tailwind rather than a headwind. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left-wing strut, aileron, horizontal stabilizer, and elevator. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have prevented normal operation.