N1264W – Weatherly 201B – 2008-05-15 NTSB Accident Report

On May 15, 2008, a Weatherly 201B (N1264W) was involved in an incident near Nickerson, KS. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft was destroyed.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll.

During the takeoff roll the single-engine tail-wheel equipped agricultural airplane exited the left side of the 20-foot wide gravel runway despite the pilot's correction of full right rudder and right brake. Once off the runway, the airplane crossed a creek and impacted an embankment, before coming to rest in an upright position. The pilot was able to exit the airplane unassisted. Moments later the airplane was engulfed in flames. The pilot reported that following the accident he observed that the tail-wheel was unlocked and that it may have contributed to the accident. He further stated that the accident may have been prevented by checking that the tail-wheel was locked prior to takeoff.

This incident is documented in NTSB report DFW08CA145. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N1264W.