Incident Overview
On 26 August 1998 at 1645 UTC, a Piper PA-38-112 (registration G-BNEK) was involved in a takeoff incident at Mid-Wales Airport, Welshpool. The aircraft, manufactured in 1982 and powered by a single Lycoming O-235-L2C piston engine, was being operated on a private training flight with only the student pilot on board.
Sequence of Events
The student pilot, aged 23 with a total of 16 hours flying experience (all on type), was conducting a takeoff from hard Runway 04. The surface wind was variable at 5 to 10 knots. After traveling approximately 100 metres, the aircraft began to veer to the left. The pilot was unable to correct the swing before the aircraft departed the paved surface and ran onto the wet grass bordering the runway. The pilot immediately abandoned the takeoff but could not stop the aircraft before it collided with a fence post on the airfield boundary.
Damage and Injuries
The collision resulted in minor damage to the exhaust system. The pilot reported no injuries.
Pilot's Account
The student pilot attributed the cause of the incident to a gust of wind.