Wet runway contributes to crash

The pilot stated that his private grass runway in Port Eads, La., was wet, but he decided to takeoff anyway.

During the takeoff roll, the Cessna 182’s left wheel struck a puddle just as he was lifting the airplane off the ground. This caused the right side of the airplane to become airborne before the left side.

The pilot was able to level the airplane at a height of 30 feet above ground level (agl), but the plane would not climb. He held the airplane in a nose high attitude as it began to strike sugar cane adjacent to the runway.

The airplane descended and the tail section struck the ground first. When the nose wheel hit the ground, it sunk in the mud and the airplane flipped over, resulting in three minor injuries.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the tail section, right wing strut, and firewall.

The pilot, who noted there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane prior to the accident, said he should have checked the runway’s condition before departing and waited for conditions to improve.

The NTSB determined the probable cause as the pilot’s improper decision to depart from a runway not suitable for takeoff, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control.

NTSB Identification: CEN14CA528

This September 2014 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.