The pilot reported that after landing the tailwheel-equipped Cessna 140 on the turf airstrip in Kokomo, Indiana, local residents advised him of soft spots in the runway due to recently melted snow.
He walked the areas and taxied on the taxiway and turf runway without any issues.
He taxied to the end of the runway and prepared for takeoff, which included choosing a takeoff path that appeared dryer.
About 450 feet into the takeoff roll, the airplane encountered a soft spot on the runway, which slowed the airplane, raised the tail, and the airplane “jerked” to one side.
The left wing hit the ground and the airplane then nosed over.
The airplane incurred substantial damage to the engine mount, right wing, and right wing strut.
When asked if any mechanical problems with the airplane existed prior to the accident the pilot replied that there were none and that the airplane just sunk into the soft turf during the takeoff.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s decision to perform the takeoff on the soft, wet, turf runway, with the tailwheel equipped airplane, which resulted in a nose-over.
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This February 2022 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.
The pilot’s poor decision to land on a wet, soggy runway without first calling to get the status was his mistake.
Then, per the docket, he refueled with 9 gallons and then attempted to take off.
The 9 gallons maybe saved him $3-4 vs a damaged aircraft that will now have to be trailered somewhere to be repaired.
This guy flew SW to this grass strip, and his destination was NW of his departure airport, which looks like trying to save a few $$ on fuel….more stupid pilot tricks.!!
Jim I am not a pilot but have an interest and watch many of the Alaska bush pilots land on grass, beaches, snow etc. etc. and I ASK if perhaps a lot depends on what tires you are using?
If I am usually landing on soft ground would tundra tires not be a better bet or something similar?
A great observation:
Skinny tires, limited horsepower, and soft/soggy ground: Three strikes.
His version of events reads as if the tail came up well before he wanted it to, mostly due to the drag of the main gear digging in …and he made no attempt to keep it “low”…a critical step in nursing a taildragger off a sticky surface.
Once the a/c weight transferred to the narrow tires, his C-140 became an 85-hp plow. Staying at “full throttle” ensured the tail would continue to rise without the plane actually accelerating.
As soon as he felt the drag of the tires digging in, and the tail come up prematurely, his options were to yank it off the ground and try to accelerate in ground effect…or abort.
Tom Curran
A lot of GA aircraft are not certified to put very large tires on them.
I believe that the C140 can use 8.00 x 6 tires vs the standard 6.00 x 6. But these aren’t a lot wider.
A 26 or 30 inch ‘bush’ tire can put huge side loads on a standard axle which can fail.
Not to mention that these tires cost in excess of $1,000 each and wear quickly if landing on a paved runway….So….?
I’ve seen aircraft with these large bush tires land in the grass, adjacent to the paved runway, which is usually not an approved operation, unless specified in the AFD.
Don’t let him run with scissors.
/J
Read the pilot’s “Narrative History of the Flight” in the NTSB Form 6120.1.
It’s a “clinic” on how not to do a soft field takeoff in a taildragger.
His final ‘Owner/Operator Safety Recommendation’ is spot on: “Leaving the plane there and getting a ride home rather than trusting to a soft field takeoff would have avoided the incident entirely.”
The tailwheel had nothing to do with this pilot error accident.
That is completely true! Pilot technique was the failure, not the plane! I learned to fly in a 140 and my entire training was from a grass strip in south-eastern Ohio. That training occurred from the Fall thru Spring. My instructor specifically trained me on wet/soggy conditions to ensure that I had the appropriate skills in case of emergency landings or routine take-off. In a 140, you can get the airplane light enough to not get bogged down. Same thing for take-offs and landing in snow.