This August 2007 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Aircraft: Aviat Husky A-1B.
Location: Moab, Utah.
Injuries: None.
Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: The pilot positioned the airplane at the southeast end of the turf runway. During the takeoff run, the pilot veered the airplane to the left edge of the runway centerline to avoid a patch of mud. Just before rotation speed, the left main wheel got caught in the low brush vegetation and uneven ground at the edge of the runway. The pilot cut the power and applied full right rudder, but the airplane continued to turn to the left off the runway until the right wing tip impacted the ground, and stopped the airplane.
Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control that resulted in a ground loop.
