Narrative:

I was departing runway 30 at sql in a GC1B swift. I was in the right seat and my instructor was in the left seat. There was a mild crosswind. The airplane started oscillating and went off the left side of the runway. My instructor added full power and we were able to take off. The tower did not ask us if we needed assistance. We came back to land and inspected the airplane. The only damage that we discovered was to the right wingtip. The airport office later informed us that we had struck and destroyed a large metal taxi sign directly in front of the tower. (Most likely with the left main wheel.) we were concerned after the fact that the tower never advised us that we had hit anything. Had we known this we would have taken more precautions prior to landing. (Thorough control check, fire truck standing by, etc.) I was under the impression that controllers pay more attention to departing aircraft and should have seen us hit and destroy the taxiway sign. That information should be furnished by pilots to allow them to make prudent decisions.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A GC1B SWIFT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT AT SQL START TO LOSE CTL OF ACFT DURING DEP BUT ARE ABLE TO TAKE OFF AND LAND. THEY LEARN LATER THE ACFT HAD WINGTIP DAMAGE AND A LARGE METAL TXWY SIGN WAS DESTROYED.

Narrative: I WAS DEPARTING RWY 30 AT SQL IN A GC1B SWIFT. I WAS IN THE R SEAT AND MY INSTRUCTOR WAS IN THE L SEAT. THERE WAS A MILD XWIND. THE AIRPLANE STARTED OSCILLATING AND WENT OFF THE L SIDE OF THE RWY. MY INSTRUCTOR ADDED FULL PWR AND WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE OFF. THE TWR DID NOT ASK US IF WE NEEDED ASSISTANCE. WE CAME BACK TO LAND AND INSPECTED THE AIRPLANE. THE ONLY DAMAGE THAT WE DISCOVERED WAS TO THE R WINGTIP. THE ARPT OFFICE LATER INFORMED US THAT WE HAD STRUCK AND DESTROYED A LARGE METAL TAXI SIGN DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE TWR. (MOST LIKELY WITH THE L MAIN WHEEL.) WE WERE CONCERNED AFTER THE FACT THAT THE TWR NEVER ADVISED US THAT WE HAD HIT ANYTHING. HAD WE KNOWN THIS WE WOULD HAVE TAKEN MORE PRECAUTIONS PRIOR TO LNDG. (THOROUGH CTL CHK, FIRE TRUCK STANDING BY, ETC.) I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT CTLRS PAY MORE ATTN TO DEPARTING ACFT AND SHOULD HAVE SEEN US HIT AND DESTROY THE TXWY SIGN. THAT INFO SHOULD BE FURNISHED BY PLTS TO ALLOW THEM TO MAKE PRUDENT DECISIONS.

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.