NTSB Factual Report

On December 13, 2003, at 0959 central standard time, an amateur built Bull SE5-A, single-engine tailwheel equipped biplane, N42LB, was destroyed when it impacted terrain following a loss of control during takeoff from the Texas Air Museum Airport (XS63), near Rio Hondo, Texas. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was seriously injured. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by the Texas Air Museum of Rio Hondo. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

The 14,000-hour pilot reported in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) that prior to departure from runway 18 (a 1,800-foot long by 20-foot wide asphalt runway), he noted a quartering tailwind of approximately five to eight knots was present. During the takeoff roll, at an approximate airspeed of 40-50 knots, he raised the tail of the biplane up. At this point, "the aircraft pitched up and to the right." As he landed the biplane back on the runway, the biplane "pitched up again." The pilot stated that he lowered the nose to maintain airspeed and access the situation. At an approximate altitude of 50 feet agl, "the nose dropped." The pilot moved the control stick forward and then backwards with no response. Subsequently, the aircraft impacted a soft plowed field and came to rest in the upright position adjacent to the runway.

Several people witnessed the accident and provided the Safety Board with written statements. One witness observed the biplane as it took off. He said the biplane appeared to stall, and the pilot was having difficulty maintaining control. The biplane appeared to be, "mushing with the wings rocking and was in a nose high attitude. The biplane continued moving erratically, then the left wing dropped, and it appeared that the biplane went into a full stall. It impacted the ground almost immediately."

A second witness stated that when the biplane departed, it appeared to "pull up in a 35 or 40 degree angle." The left wing then dropped, and it appeared that the pilot corrected for this, and rolled the airplane to the right, during which time the biplane descended. The right main landing gear struck the ground, and the biplane bounced, became airborne, and drifted to the right. The witness then observed the airplane drift to the left and lose altitude. The left wing, then the airplane, contacted the ground and came to rest upright in a field adjacent to the runway.

A third witness located on the taxiway adjacent to the threshold of runway 13 observed the biplane taking off from the north end of runway 18. After a ground roll of approximately 100 feet, the biplane turned abruptly to the left. He said, "The aircraft left the ground at a very high angle of attack, and began to wallow in ground effect for 200 feet." As the right wing struck the ground, the aircraft touched down on both main landing gears and tailwheel. Subsequently, the aircraft became airborne again at "a very high angle of attack (approximately 25 to 30 degrees) as the airplane mushed and wallowed in ground effect for 100-200 feet." The airplane began a very slow rate of climb "seeming to be on the edge of stalling." At approximately 50-75 feet agl, a left turn commenced and at a very high angle of attack, and the left wing dropped as the biplane impacted terrain. The witness stated that upon arriving to the accident site, the pilot told him, "the aircraft wouldn't get flying speed."

The airplane was examined at the accident site by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector. According to the inspector, the airplane came to rest on a magnetic heading of 055 degrees, approximately 350 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. All four wings were damaged. The lower right wing was separated from the fuselage, and the top right wing was partially separated from the fuselage. The empennage was separated aft of the cockpit.

In an interview conducted the day after the accident, the pilot told the FAA inspector "there was nothing wrong with the aircraft" when asked if there was any problems with the aircraft. The FAA inspector reported that the airplane was partaking in a World War I reenactment demonstration flight with another aircraft.

Weather at the Valley International Airport (HRL), near Harlingen, Texas, approximately five miles west of the accident site, at 0958, reported wind from 360 degrees at 14 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, sky clear, temperature 59 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 48 degrees Fahrenheit, and a barometric pressure setting of 30.06 inches of Mercury.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the tailwheel equipped airplane during takeoff. Contributing factors were the pilot's selection of the wrong runway for takeoff and the prevailing tailwind.