NTSB Factual Report

The 1,300-hour private pilot lost directional control of the tail-wheel equipped homebuilt airplane during takeoff roll from Runway 16. The pilot reported that shortly after reaching the first 200-feet of his takeoff roll, the airplane started to veer to the left of the centerline and eventually ran-off the runway. The pilot stated the runway was elevated from the surrounding terrain and when the airplane ran off the left side of the runway, the airplane banked to the right and the right wing collided with the ground and the airplane nosed-over. The FAA inspector, who responded to the site of the accident, did not find any anomalies with the flight controls, tailwheel steering system or the brakes. A passenger seated on the right front seat of the airplane provided a copy of a short video clip confirming the sequence of events. The Runway 16 was described as a 3,000 -foot long by 50-foot wide asphalt airstrip. Weather 10 nautical miles south of the airport was reported 10 minutes prior to the accident to be winds from 110 at 9 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, with a broken layer at 7,500 feet and an overcast layer at 10,000-feet. The temperature was reported as 28-degrees Celsius, with a dew point at 17-degrees Celsius, with an altimeter of 30.13 inches of Mercury.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to compensate for the existing wind conditions. A contributing factor was the prevailing crosswind.