The pilot of an experimental biplane attempts a takeoff from a taxiway at a non tower airport, flipp...

Attributes
ACN	527139
Time
Date	200110
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 6h8.airport
State Reference	ND
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d01.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Experimental
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 590 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	527139
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : inspection authority technician : powerplant technician : airframe
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical excursion : taxiway ground encounters other other anomaly other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

While attempting to take off from a narrow turf taxiway, I drifted too far left and, when almost at liftoff speed, the left wing contacted tall corn growing beside the taxiway. This caused the plane to turn into the cornfield, tip onto its nose and turn over on its back. Apparently the corn caused enough deceleration and cushioning to prevent structural damage or injury. Damage was limited to: bent propeller, bent crankshaft flange, cracked nosebowl, paint scrapes, one small fabric puncture in top wing and several dents in the top of the leading edge skin of the upper wing. An inspection by an a&P/ia revealed no structural damage and repairs will consist of cosmetic items, engine teardown and propeller repair. Using the taxiway as a runway is a common local practice, since it is perpendicular to the main runway and the possibility of causing conflicts with other traffic is minimal (there are probably just a few operations per week at this unattended airport and the runway/taxiway do not cross). However, the taxiway is quite narrow and is flanked by cornfields on either side. There is little room for error or inattn (the latter being the cause of this incident). I could have avoided this incident by being more 1) patient -- there was certainly time to taxi to the wider main runway. 2) cautious -- too much confidence after too many yrs of flying without incident got me in trouble. Also, even though the lcls use the taxiway as a runway, I believe that should be reserved for when there are strong xwinds on the main runway, and then only with great caution due to possible conflicts with other traffic (not a factor in this case). Of course, there's always the better option of diverting to a more favorable airport. The limited visibility of flying a biplane (solo from rear seat) was maybe a factor, but with 180 hours of recent experience in biplanes I should be somewhat used to their limitations by now. Obviously, one limitation is visibility when using narrow runways. (Won't do that again.)

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE PLT OF AN EXPERIMENTAL BIPLANE ATTEMPTS A TKOF FROM A TXWY AT A NON TWR ARPT, FLIPPING OVER AFTER CONTACTING THE TALL CORN GROWING ON THE SIDES OF THE STRIP AT 6H8, ND.

Narrative: WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TAKE OFF FROM A NARROW TURF TXWY, I DRIFTED TOO FAR L AND, WHEN ALMOST AT LIFTOFF SPD, THE L WING CONTACTED TALL CORN GROWING BESIDE THE TXWY. THIS CAUSED THE PLANE TO TURN INTO THE CORNFIELD, TIP ONTO ITS NOSE AND TURN OVER ON ITS BACK. APPARENTLY THE CORN CAUSED ENOUGH DECELERATION AND CUSHIONING TO PREVENT STRUCTURAL DAMAGE OR INJURY. DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO: BENT PROP, BENT CRANKSHAFT FLANGE, CRACKED NOSEBOWL, PAINT SCRAPES, ONE SMALL FABRIC PUNCTURE IN TOP WING AND SEVERAL DENTS IN THE TOP OF THE LEADING EDGE SKIN OF THE UPPER WING. AN INSPECTION BY AN A&P/IA REVEALED NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE AND REPAIRS WILL CONSIST OF COSMETIC ITEMS, ENG TEARDOWN AND PROP REPAIR. USING THE TXWY AS A RWY IS A COMMON LCL PRACTICE, SINCE IT IS PERPENDICULAR TO THE MAIN RWY AND THE POSSIBILITY OF CAUSING CONFLICTS WITH OTHER TFC IS MINIMAL (THERE ARE PROBABLY JUST A FEW OPS PER WK AT THIS UNATTENDED ARPT AND THE RWY/TXWY DO NOT CROSS). HOWEVER, THE TXWY IS QUITE NARROW AND IS FLANKED BY CORNFIELDS ON EITHER SIDE. THERE IS LITTLE ROOM FOR ERROR OR INATTN (THE LATTER BEING THE CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT). I COULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS INCIDENT BY BEING MORE 1) PATIENT -- THERE WAS CERTAINLY TIME TO TAXI TO THE WIDER MAIN RWY. 2) CAUTIOUS -- TOO MUCH CONFIDENCE AFTER TOO MANY YRS OF FLYING WITHOUT INCIDENT GOT ME IN TROUBLE. ALSO, EVEN THOUGH THE LCLS USE THE TXWY AS A RWY, I BELIEVE THAT SHOULD BE RESERVED FOR WHEN THERE ARE STRONG XWINDS ON THE MAIN RWY, AND THEN ONLY WITH GREAT CAUTION DUE TO POSSIBLE CONFLICTS WITH OTHER TFC (NOT A FACTOR IN THIS CASE). OF COURSE, THERE'S ALWAYS THE BETTER OPTION OF DIVERTING TO A MORE FAVORABLE ARPT. THE LIMITED VISIBILITY OF FLYING A BIPLANE (SOLO FROM REAR SEAT) WAS MAYBE A FACTOR, BUT WITH 180 HRS OF RECENT EXPERIENCE IN BIPLANES I SHOULD BE SOMEWHAT USED TO THEIR LIMITATIONS BY NOW. OBVIOUSLY, ONE LIMITATION IS VISIBILITY WHEN USING NARROW RWYS. (WON'T DO THAT AGAIN.)

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.

The pilot of an experimental biplane attempts a takeoff from a taxiway at a non tower airport, flipping over after contacting the tall corn growing on the sides of the strip at 6h8, nd.