The pilot was taking off from Runway 31 at an airport near Palmyra, Pennsylvania, a 40-foot-wide asphalt runway. He reported that just as he lifted the tailwheel off the ground, the Kitfox immediately turned hard left and departed the side of the runway.
The airplane bounced hard and fractured the right main landing gear before coming to rest upright in a corn field. The pilot sustained minor injuries, while the passenger died in the crash.
The pilot stated that there was a right crosswind at the time of departure, and the passenger, who was also a pilot, had commented that the right wing lifted as soon as the tailwheel came off the ground.
Examination of the wreckage by an FAA inspector revealed substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and left wing. The right main landing gear was fractured off the strut and the brake line was severed. The left main landing gear was intact. Both wheels spun freely, and the brakes were not seized up. The inspector reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the tailwheel airplane during takeoff from a narrow runway with a crosswind, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with terrain.
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This July 2024 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.
If you watch the recordings of pilots landing at Oshkosh then you can see more needs to be taught about proper technique.