The pilot told investigators that he had erected barbed wire fences on both sides of his private airstrip in Myakka City, Florida, to keep cows off the runway.
During takeoff in his Monocoupe 90AL-115, he veered left and hit the fence.
The airplane nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the wings and empennage. The pilot sustained minor injuries in the crash.
The pilot told investigators that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from a fence during takeoff.
To download the final report. Click here. This will trigger a PDF download to your device.
This October 2023 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.
Fences and obstacles… trees, bushes, creeks, ‘junk’, etc… along-side runways need more clearance with the runway centerline than meets the ‘eye-thumb-good-enough’ measurements. Aircraft mechanical issues and wind/drift/etc can be unpredictable… and deadly.
ALSO… suggest bright markings on fence posts and/or wires/piles for see-avoid in peripheral vision in-low-light… especially when attention is focused solely on taxi-takeoff-landing…
My dad maintained a country airfield and allowed others use of it. Because he had flown fully loaded P-40s off of soft fields in combat [CBI]… he knew the inherent dangers of improvised airfields and had seen people die due to crashes.
As a result of his experience, he walked/drove the length multiple times a week and was intimately familiar with the layout and changing nature of the soft surface and weeds and obstacles.
Glad he wasn’t hurt too bad. Hope he gets some instruction in his next plane.
That tail…bent around at 130° or more……that airframe might be destined for recycling/parts scavenge.
How tall was that fence? I’ve not seen a tail that curled up! Wow
Cows will respect a 4 ft wire fence…they can’t jump or lift their legs very high.
However bull calves will try .!
So sad that pilots don’t know what their right foot is for? 3 times on takeoff you need right rudder pressure, adding power, more when the tail comes up and when breaking ground. Another important reason that you keep your plane on the center line. Close isn’t good enough. Good pilots are always working towards perfection.
I you build it (fence along a runway), you will hit it…looks like the cows won
Another beautiful, classic airplane bites the dust! Maybe it’s reparable! Hope so!