WAYNESBURG, OH, USA
N601RF
CESSNA 180
The airplane collided with trees shortly after a downwind takeoff from a 1400 foot private grass airstrip. The instructor departed downwind for terrain considerations. According to the instructor, he let the student (his wife) takeoff, but took control when he noticed the airplane had gone too far down the runway. He lifted off and outclimbed a hill, but the airplane started to sink until it struck a tree, a quarter mile past the runway. The instructor reported no mechanical malfunctions. He stated the accident could have been prevented if he had lifted off sooner.
On July 24, 1994, at 1130 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 180, N601RF, registered and piloted by Reese E. Fox, a certified flight instructor (CFI), sustained substantial damage during intial takeoff climb, near Waynesburg, Ohio. The instructor and the student pilot were seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane had departed from a private airstrip, and struck trees approximately 1/4 mile from the departure end of the 1400 foot runway. According to the pilot's statement on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the CFI was in the right seat and he was teaching his wife how to fly. The CFI wrote: ...I had her [wife] in left seat teaching her use of rudders. She was doing a good job of keeping the plane straight and I [let] her get me too far down [the] runway-before I took control of [the] aircraft. As we climbed out, I started a climbing right turn over the hill...we got into rolling effect of heat and wind-as we were sinking we caught a tree...this accident was caused be me letting aircraft get too far down runway before, I pulled plane into air. Engine and aircraft was working fine. According to FAA Inspector, Donald Rhodes, inspector's report, he interviewed Mr. Fox in the hospital. Mr. Rhodes wrote: Mr. Fox stated they were making a down wind takeoff due to terrain restrictions and he let his student get too far down the short runway before becoming airborne... Examination of the aircraft and the engine revealed no discrepancies.
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall/mush. A factor was a tailwind.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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