N13834

On April 24, 1998, at 1445 central daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N13834, operated by a commercial pilot collided with a sign post while taking off from a road in Superior, Nebraska. The pilot was not injured. The airplane received substantial damage to the right wing. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The pilot continued the flight and landed without further incident at the Superior Municipal Airport, Superior, Nebraska.

The pilot stated he made prior arrangements with the local authorities to land and takeoff from 8th street. He stated he taught aviation classes and was taking the airplane to the school to use it as a teaching aid for the day.

The pilot reported the landing was uneventful and as the day progressed the winds became stronger out of the southeast. He reported that at the end of the day he once again had people blocking the road and "Because of the strong wind, I taxied west into the next mile beyond what I originally intended, I wanted to make sure I was off the land and across the cornfield well before the trees." He reported that during the takeoff roll a wind gust from the south (right) caused him to compensate to the south. There was one "weight limit sign" along the right side of the road which the pilot said he had not removed. During the takeoff roll the right wing of the airplane contacted the sign. The pilot continued the takeoff and flew to the Superior Municipal Airport where an uneventful landing was made.

Inspection of the airplane revealed the sign contacted the right wing 11 inches inboard from the wingtip resulting in substantial damage to the wing.