Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The airplane's encounter with a depression in a dirt runway during takeoff, which resulted in a tail strike.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot reported that during takeoff on a dirt runway he rotated the airplane and as it "went through a dip in the airstrip" he felt a "thump" [tail strike]. The pilot further reported that the airplane became airborne and he continued the flight uneventfully.
During a postflight inspection, it was revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the bulkhead and lower skin of the tail cone.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# GAA17CA076