General aviation pilot reported flight control issues which resulted in a wingtip scrape on takeoff with a crosswind. The flight controls responded normally in the climb and returned for a landing.

Date: 2025-04 · Aircraft: DA40 Diamond Star · Phase: takeoff

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-less-severe|deviation-speed-all-types|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|ground-event-encounter-weather-turbulence|ground-event-encounter-loss-of-aircraft-control|ground-event-encounter-ground-strike-aircraft|inflight-event-encounter-weather-turbulence|inflight-event-encounter-loss-of-aircraft-control

Synopsis

General aviation pilot reported flight control issues which resulted in a wingtip scrape on takeoff with a crosswind. The flight controls responded normally in the climb and returned for a landing.

Narrative

1. The plane needed a lot of right rudder on taxiing to runway XX even though the wind was from the west. I taxi'd out with T/O flaps selected like the airline pilots do so I don't ever forget it.2.On the takeoff roll; I had almost full right rudder to keep us flying perfectly straight on takeoff; I peeked at the windsock and it was ~5 kt left cross wind. So I reminded myself to level the wings on liftoff which I did.3. Right when the aircraft wanted to fly and got in ground effect; the aircraft drifted hard and yawed immediately to the right ; and I added left aileron instinctively to correct for the drift; and that's probably when the wing tip scraped the grass. 4. After that; the plane wanted to dive and I wanted to protect the nose gear and prop by pulling back on the stick but the stall horn came on so I neutralized the controls and climbed out without any drama. Flew the right downwind XYR; the plane flew perfectly; did a normal base; final; and had the softest landing of my life and came back to the tie down with no abnormality.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.