PLT LOSES CTL OF HIS HOME BUILT ACFT DURING HIGH SPD TAXI TEST.

Narrative

I HAD PURCHASED THE EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT SINGLE SEAT BIPLANE IN OKLAHOMA 4 MONTHS AGO. IT WAS TRAILERED TO COLORADO WITH THE WINGS REMOVED. THE NEXT CONDITION INSPECTION WAS NOT DUE UNTIL OCT/99. OVER THE LAST 2 MONTHS; I INSPECTED THE AIRPLANE TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY; REPLACING; REPAIRING; AND REVIEWING ITEMS AS NECESSARY. I FOUND THAT RIGGING WAS PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING DUE TO MY LACK OF EXPERIENCE; AND DID IT OVER SEVERAL TIMES. FINALLY I DETERMINED THAT THE ACFT WAS IN SATISFACTORY CONDITION TO PROCEED WITH TAXI CHKS -- SLOW; THEN FASTER; THEN IF NOTHING ABNORMAL WAS EVIDENT; TO FLY. I DID PERFORM SLOW SPD TAXIING; THEN TOOK THE RWY TO CHK OUT THE BEHAVIOR AT HIGHER SPD; PERHAPS WITH THE TAILWHEEL OFF THE GND. SHORTLY AFTER INCREASING PWR; I ALLOWED AN UNANTICIPATED GUST OF WIND TO LIFT A WING; THEN OVERCTLED THE ACFT; RESULTING IN MINOR ABRASION DAMAGE TO THE LOWER WINGTIPS AND AILERON TIPS. I ABORTED THE ACTIVITY AND ASKED AN A&P TO ATTEND TO PATCHING THE FABRIC WHERE REQUIRED. DURING THE COURSE OF HIS WORK; HE NOTICED THAT I HAD FORGOTTEN TO INSTALL CRITICAL COTTER PINS IN FASTENERS IN THE AILERON CTL SYS; ON ONE END OF A LNDG WIRE; AND THAT RIGGING AND CTL CABLE TENSION WERE UNSATISFACTORY. CLRLY; AND IN HINDSIGHT 1) HAVING REDONE THE ASSEMBLY SEVERAL TIMES I WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE WORK TO EFFECTIVELY PERFORM A FINAL CHK; AND 2) NOTWITHSTANDING MY BEST EFFORTS TO RESEARCH AND UNDERSTAND RIGGING OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS; MY WORK WAS NOT UP TO STANDARDS AND I SHOULD HAVE AVAILED THE ASSISTANCE OF A QUALIFIED AIRFRAME MECH. HARD LESSONS TO LEARN; BUT LEARNED PERMANENTLY FOR THAT.