WEIR, TX, USA
N76190
Cessna 140
The pilot attempted to takeoff from his private 1,600-foot grass airstrip (runway 18) with a 'strong' tailwind. The pilot stated that the winds were from 360 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots, and were stronger than he anticipated. He aborted the takeoff prior to the airplane becoming airborne at approximately the midpoint of the runway. During the aborted takeoff, the pilot initiated a right turn to avoid a fence at the departure end of the runway. The airplane skidded left, the left main gear collapsed, and the airplane departed the right side of the runway coming to rest upright in a grass field.
On February 19, 2000, at 1445 central standard time, a Cessna 140 tailwheel-equipped airplane, N76190, struck the terrain during an aborted takeoff from a private airstrip near Weir, Texas. The aircraft was owned and operated by the private pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The pilot received minor injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, and a flight plan was not filed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. On the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the 889-hour pilot reported that he attempted to takeoff from his private 1,600-foot grass airstrip (runway 18) with a "strong" tailwind. The pilot stated that the winds were from 360 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots, and were stronger than he anticipated. The pilot aborted the takeoff prior to the airplane becoming airborne at approximately the midpoint of the runway. During the aborted takeoff, the pilot initiated a right turn to avoid a fence at the departure end of the runway. The airplane skidded left, the left main gear collapsed, and the airplane departed the right side of the runway coming to rest upright in a grass field. The pilot had accumulated 824 hours in the same make and model airplane, and had operated from the same airstrip for 10 years. According to a FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing folded upward.
The delayed aborted takeoff by the pilot. Factors were the pilot's intentional ground loop/swerve and the tail wind.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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