Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during a takeoff roll in quartering tailwind conditions.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot of a tailwheel equipped airplane reported that while taking off from a grass runway during shifting wind conditions, the airplane did not accelerate, which he attributed to a quartering tailwind. The airplane began to drift left and, as it neared the edge of the runway, the pilot retarded the throttle to idle to abort the takeoff. The airplane subsequently impacted a pump house located along the runway edge that was not visible from the cockpit and nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to both wings, the vertical stabilizer, and the rudder. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.