Event GAA16CA229

Factual narrative

According to the pilot, he was taking off from a grass airstrip outlined by trees, in a tailwheel-equipped bi-plane. The pilot reported that he increased the airspeed and pushed forward on the stick in order to raise the tailwheel off of the ground, at which time the airplane began to veer left. The pilot recalled that he applied full right rudder and right aileron, and the airplane felt like it was "skipping down the runway" while continuing the left veer. The pilot reported that the airplane then swerved to the right, the nose pitched up, and the airplane "skipped", and became airborne at a low airspeed. The pilot recollected that he pulled the throttle back and the airplane banked left, and the left upper and lower wings impacted the ground. The airplane came to rest facing the opposite direction of takeoff, with substantial damage to the left wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that he believe the left main landing gear brake locked up, initiating the accident sequence. An airworthiness inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspected the wheel and brake assembly which had separated from the airplane as a result of the impact, and found that the left wheel rotated freely with no indication of binding. The brake assembly revealed no indications of seizure, and a function check indicated normal operation at the time of the inspection. The FAA Inspector also reported that there were no indications of ground scars on the grass strip in the area of the takeoff roll that indicated binding or seizure of the left brake. Furthermore, a cell phone video of the takeoff, viewed by the NTSB investigator, showed the airplane during the takeoff roll with the tailwheel on the ground for the entire duration of the takeoff roll. The recording showed that as the airplane veered left, the airplane ascended with the nose canted approximately 45 degrees to the left of the runway centerline. The airplane remained airborne for seven seconds before it descended in a left bank, and impacted the ground. According to the pilot, he was taking off from a grass airstrip outlined by trees, in a tailwheel-equipped bi-plane. The pilot reported that he increased the airspeed and pushed forward on the stick in order to raise the tailwheel off of the ground, at which time the airplane began to veer left.  The pilot recalled that he applied full right rudder and right aileron, and the airplane felt like it was "skipping down the runway" while continuing the left veer. The pilot reported that the airplane then swerved to the right, the nose pitched up, and the airplane "skipped", and became airborne at a low airspeed. The pilot recollected that he pulled the throttle back and the airplane banked left, and the left upper and lower wings impacted the ground. The airplane came to rest facing the opposite direction of takeoff, with substantial damage to the left wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that he believe the left main landing gear brake locked up, initiating the accident sequence. An airworthiness inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspected the wheel and brake assembly which had separated from the airplane as a result of the impact, and found that the left wheel rotated freely with no indication of binding. The brake assembly revealed no indications of seizure, and a function check indicated normal operation at the time of the inspection. The FAA Inspector also reported that there were no indications of ground scars on the grass strip in the area of the takeoff roll that indicated binding or seizure of the left brake. Furthermore, a cell phone video of the takeoff, viewed by the NTSB investigator, showed the airplane during the takeoff roll with the tailwheel on the ground for the entire duration of the takeoff roll. The recording showed that as the airplane veered left, the airplane ascended with the nose canted approximately 45 degrees to the left of the runway centerline. The airplane remained airborne for seven seconds before it descended in a left bank, and impacted the ground. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

• C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
• C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Pitch control-Not attained/maintained - C
• C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C