It's been a few days since my ground loop incident, and I've had time to 
reflect on several things that In the interest of "lessons learned" I will add 
to my before takeoff checklist. 
Here is how I think I screwed up: I checked the AWOS at start-up as it's normal 
prior to taxing out to the ramp. I called ground and made the request for the 
option of a high-speed test, or a full takeoff and I finished my transmission 
with the phrase "with information Alpha". The tower cleared me to taxi to 
runway 36 via Alpha to the run-up and wait. They had several airplanes in the 
pattern and a jet on a long final. By the time I was allowed to get on the 
runway, a good 15 minutes or so had elapsed. I was there so long that I 
actually shut my engine off. I listened on my handheld for my clearance. In the 
span of those 15+ minutes or so, the winds had increased, and now more like a 
90 deg crosswind gusting to 23kts from a milder 12kts. The only clue of higher 
winds was the airplane rocking once in a while, but I attributed that to two 
Citation Jets that were taking off and landing. At one time I tried to make an 
effort to look for the windsock but from my nose high position and where the 
nose was pointing, I could not see the windsock.
Lesson learned: I edited my checklist to make it mandatory to recheck AWOS at 
run-up before to switching to the tower. This will assure me that I will be 
fully aware of my flight conditions prior to takeoff.
Luis.      On Monday, September 9, 2024 at 09:56:37 AM CDT, Ray_pilot 
<n24...@gmail.com> wrote:  
 
 Also glad you are ok and hopefully did not hurt the plane.
I had ground looped a friend of mine's plane a year or so ago and definitely 
scared the _____ out of myself.But there was no damage and it turned out to be 
a control issue (only partially me).
So, as the tower said, "no harm no foul". 
And because of this stupid weather - really?  hitting the only time I need 
clear skies to be?Looks as if I am going to come to Mount Vernon in a Dodge 
truck.  Bit of a bummer, but I made the decision to come.and I am not changing 
my mind.
See ya'll there.
Ray_pilot
New Orleans


On Mon, Sep 9, 2024 at 1:20 AM Luis Claudio via KRnet <krnet@list.krnet.org> 
wrote:

Well, it was bound to happen... this past Saturday, the weather cleared enough 
for me to try another flight around the pattern, and so I kick the tires and 
lit the fires, and off I went... AWOS reported a crosswind from the West at 
about 12 to 14kts. We were using runway 36 to the North. I felt that 14kts was 
about my personal limit. I was still learning to fly my airplane and did not 
want to push it. 
Everything was going great, as I lined up and accelerated down the runway for 
takeoff. At about 35kts, I started lifting the tail, made a small correction to 
the left to counter the wind effect to my right, when I was hammered by what I 
thought was a blown tire... I was tossed in the cockpit hurting my hip, and the 
airplane swerved sharply to the left... I managed to recover back towards the 
center of the runway, just as I was hit again. the second gust was much more 
severe. 
I made two full circles but managed to keep the airplane on the runway. The 
airplane came to a stop shortly still on the runway and I taxied it off to the 
ramp. I called the tower to see if I had a violation or anything and they just 
told me to have a good life... no harm no foul. 
I later found that since my last weather inquiry on the AWOS, the wind gust had 
increased to 23kts which were way beyond my level of crosswind comfort. I 
called John Shaffer and talked to him a little just to calm myself. He then 
reminded me as to why he flies a nosewheel airplane... 
My airplane now sits in my hanger till i have a chance to do a thorough 
inspection. My hip hurts like crap and I hope I can recover enough to make it 
to Mount Vernon. 
Luis 
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