Accident Overview
On April 8, 2024, at approximately 1615 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 195B, registration N2147C, sustained substantial damage in an accident near Portales, New Mexico. The pilot and two passengers received minor injuries. The flight was conducted as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Pilot Account
According to the pilot, he had landed at Portales Municipal Airport (PRZ) to refuel during a cross-country flight. After refueling, he initiated a takeoff on runway 19 with controls applied to counter a left crosswind. The pilot reported that the takeoff roll was normal and the airplane remained on the runway centerline. He stated that just before the airplane became airborne, it veered to the right. When the airplane exited the right side of the runway, he brought the throttle to idle and applied maximum braking.
Witness Observations
A pilot-rated witness observed the pilot refuel the airplane and believed the pilot topped off the fuel. He also noted there was "a lot" of baggage in the airplane, making it heavy with three occupants. This witness and another observer saw the airplane taxi to the departure runway and witnessed most of the takeoff and the accident. The pilot-rated witness stated that the windsock indicated a quartering tailwind gusting to about 20 knots, and both witnesses commented to each other that the pilot should not take off from runway 19 due to the tailwind. The pilot-rated witness further stated that the elevator was "pinned full aft" in the full trailing edge up position during the takeoff.
Video Evidence
A second witness captured most of the airplane’s takeoff roll and the accident on video, which matched the witnesses’ recollection of events. The video showed the airplane accelerating, and the engine was heard operating at a high power setting for about 9 seconds before the airplane went out of sight behind large fuel tanks located between the witnesses and the runway. The elevator position was visible in the trailing edge up position as the airplane disappeared behind the fuel tanks. The engine was heard until the airplane reappeared from behind the fuel tanks about 3 seconds later. When the airplane reappeared, it was in a wings-level, nose-high attitude about 5 feet above the ground. The engine rpm was heard rapidly decreasing as the airplane came into view and descended. The left wing dropped momentarily before the airplane's wings leveled. The airplane then made a hard landing off the right side of the runway. It bounced once and then nosed over into the ground before stopping upright. The right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing struck the ground, resulting in substantial damage.
Post-Accident Examination
An FAA inspector noted that the airplane’s ailerons did not move together during an on-scene examination. After the airplane was lifted off the ground, wreckage recovery personnel verified flight control continuity and proper flight control movement before disassembling the airplane for transport to a repair facility. Personnel at the repair facility also examined the disassembled airplane and found no anomalies with the flight control system.
Weather Conditions
According to the automated weather report, the wind was from 120° at 12 knots. The windsock, as seen in the witness video, corresponded to the witnessed left quartering tailwind.
Reference from Airplane Flying Handbook
The Airplane Flying Handbook (Chapter 14: Transition to Tailwheel Airplanes Takeoff) provides guidance on liftoff and crosswind techniques. It states that liftoff occurs when angle of attack and airspeed combine to produce necessary lift without additional rotation. It advises that ideal takeoff attitude requires minimum pitch adjustments after liftoff. For crosswind takeoffs, the handbook emphasizes establishing and maintaining proper crosswind corrections prior to liftoff, including aileron deflection into the wind and rudder deflection to prevent weathervaning. It notes that maintaining a positive angle of attack (tail-low attitude) during the takeoff roll is important for strong crosswinds.