Pilot lost control of vintage tail-dragger on takeoff in a crosswind.

Attributes
ACN	129982
Time
Date	198910
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : x61
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 23 flight time total : 516 flight time type : 106
ASRS Report	129982
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The problem encountered was during a crosswind takeoff. Prior to rotating, a gust of wind caught the tail, making it veer to the left--regardless of how much right rudder and brake applied, the airplane was uncontrollable. The airplane, being a vintage tail-dragger and all things considered, if I had to advise someone considering the conditions runway 9-27, wind 010 degrees at 15 KTS, and the p-factor, I would have departed runway 27 instead of runway 9. Other aircraft were using runway 9 with difficulty.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT LOST CONTROL OF VINTAGE TAIL-DRAGGER ON TKOF IN A CROSSWIND.

Narrative: THE PROB ENCOUNTERED WAS DURING A XWIND TKOF. PRIOR TO ROTATING, A GUST OF WIND CAUGHT THE TAIL, MAKING IT VEER TO THE LEFT--REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH RIGHT RUDDER AND BRAKE APPLIED, THE AIRPLANE WAS UNCONTROLLABLE. THE AIRPLANE, BEING A VINTAGE TAIL-DRAGGER AND ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, IF I HAD TO ADVISE SOMEONE CONSIDERING THE CONDITIONS RWY 9-27, WIND 010 DEGS AT 15 KTS, AND THE P-FACTOR, I WOULD HAVE DEPARTED RWY 27 INSTEAD OF RWY 9. OTHER ACFT WERE USING RWY 9 WITH DIFFICULTY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.