Accident Pitts S-1C Special N1270, Friday 11 August 1995

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Date:	Friday 11 August 1995
Time:	13:00 LT
Type:	Pitts S-1C Special
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N1270
MSN:	6766
Total airframe hrs:	470 hours
Engine model:	Lycoming IO-320-C1A
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Talkeetna, AK - United States of America
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:
Destination airport:	Birchwood, AK (Z15)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
THE PILOT STATED THAT AS HE WAS BACK TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF ON THE RUNWAY, HE NOTICED A MOOSE STANDING ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. HE ALIGNED THE AIRPLANE FOR TAKEOFF. WHEN THE AIRPLANE REACHED AN APPROXIMATE SPEED OF 25 MPH DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE PILOT 'SWERVED' THE AIRPLANE TO SEE THE MOOSE AROUND THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE. HE SAID THE AIRPLANE RESPONDED VERY QUICKLY, AND BEFORE HE KNEW WHAT HAPPENED, IT WENT OFF THE RUNWAY INTO ALDER BUSHES AND NOSED OVER.

Probable Cause: THE PILOT'S EXCESSIVE APPLICATION OF RUDDER CONTROL, AS HE YAWED THE AIRPLANE TO SEE AHEAD DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND A SUBSEQUENT GROUND SWERVE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ANIMAL (MOOSE) AND HIGH VEGETATION (BUSHES) NEAR THE RUNWAY.

Accident investigation: