Incident
On 9 February 2003, a Yak 52 (registration G-CBRH) was involved in an incident during a practice short/soft field takeoff at Haverfordwest Aerodrome. The aircraft, powered by a single Ivchenko Vedeneyev M-14P piston engine, was operated by a private pilot, the sole occupant. The pilot held a Private Pilot's Licence and had 683 hours total flying experience, including 121 hours on type.
Sequence of Events
The pilot intended to take off from Runway 35 with a surface wind from 330° at 15 knots. After backtracking downwind along Runway 17, he adjusted the nose-down trim to assist in holding the control column forward and left for the downwind conditions. Following the before-takeoff checklist, the aircraft was lined up on Runway 35. The pilot held the aircraft stationary with brakes while applying full power for takeoff. After brake release, the aircraft accelerated rapidly, and the pilot rotated at an estimated speed of 100 kph (54 kt), aiming for the earliest possible lift-off.
Immediately after becoming airborne, the pilot lowered the nose attitude and retracted the landing gear, while also slightly reducing power. During the landing gear retraction, the aircraft sank back toward the runway surface, and the propeller tips struck the runway. The pilot heard a thump, followed by three more thumps as the gear retraction completed. The aircraft then climbed, and the pilot flew a low-level circuit, observing moderate vibration at all power settings. He subsequently carried out an uneventful landing, vacated the runway, and shut down the engine.
Damage and Inspection
After shutdown, inspection revealed that both propeller tips had contacted the runway surface, resulting in damage to the propeller blade tips.
Pilot's Consideration
The pilot later noted that he had omitted to return the pitch trim to the correct takeoff setting after the downwind taxi, and considered this may have contributed to the incident.