N2646A

On July 7, 1998, approximately 1500 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-22, N2646A, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over following a loss of control on the takeoff from a private airstrip near Aurora, Oregon. Both the private pilot and certificated flight instructor on board the airplane sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions existed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was a ferry flight for the out-of annual airplane from the airstrip to Arlington, Washington, was to have been operated under 14CFR91.

The airplane had recently been acquired by the private pilot on board the airplane. The former owner reported witnessing the accident, and observed the aircraft deviate to the east during its takeoff roll on the north runway before it rolled into high brambles and nosed over. He proceeded to the accident site and found both pilots out of the aircraft sitting on the ground. When he asked what had happened, they responded that one pilot thought the other had control. The former owner had taken the instructor up on a brief familiarization flight in the pattern earlier on the day of the accident.

The private pilot in the left seat, who had just purchased the airplane, stated that "we started the plane up and went down to the end of the runway and made a U-turn and started our takeoff. As we powered up (with) the plane heading down the runway we gradually went just a few feet to the right where the tall bushes were at. The grass strip is only about 30 feet wide with little room for error. The plane was bouncing from the pot holes and we clipped the right wingtip making it very difficult to bring (it) back to the left. It all happened very fast and before we could correct it the right gear leg found a ditch that was covered by the brush and over we went. We were hanging upside down and we checked with each other to make sure no one was injured and we exited the plane pretty fast in case of fuel leakage and possible fire."

The flight instructor, in the right seat, stated that "We made our runup, checked the checklist, and started the takeoff. Halfway down the runway we were close to the right edge. The wing tip hooked the brush and pulled us in and flipped us upside down."