N903XCBowles Chris KITFOX 5 · 2008

The certificated private pilot owner of the tail-wheel equipped airplane was on a instructional flight with a flight instructor to obtain a tail-wheel endorsement. The private pilot reported that he experienced a sudden gust of wind just after liftoff and then over corrected, which caused the airplane to stall and settle back onto the runway. The flight instructor reported that the private pilot abruptly pulled-back on the control stick during the takeoff roll, when the airplane accelerated to 50 to 55 mph. The airplane climbed about 5 feet above the ground and stalled. He assumed control of the airplane; however, it departed the left side of the runway and sustained substantial damage to the firewall and fuselage, before it came to rest. After the accident, both pilots reported that they did not experience any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The private pilot reported 372 hours of total flight experience, which included 12 hours in the accident airplane during the 30 days preceding the accident. He further reported that the airplane's takeoff speed should have been 65 mph. The flight instructor had no previous flight experience in the same make and model as accident airplane.