DC-3/Dakota/Skytrain
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 40; Flight Crew Total 12000
Training / Qualification
Ground Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Ground Excursion Runway
Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control
Human Factors; Weather
[Name] was Pilot Flying for the takeoff and I was Pilot Not Flying. As we rolled along the runway; the aircraft weathervaned and moved to the left side of the runway. As [Name] applied corrective control input; the airplane initially moved farther to the left side of the runway. [Name] then applied opposite control input which caused the aircraft to move toward the right side. This put the aircraft in an over-corrected state which led to pilot induced oscillations. After a couple of oscillations in each direction; the aircraft exited the runway to the left side and crossed over the parallel taxiway toward the east ramp. It was at this point that the pilot induced oscillations were brought under control and the aircraft was stopped. The root cause of the incident is [Name's] initial incorrect control input; followed by the overcorrection and the pilot induced oscillations.
While conducting a takeoff I over corrected for a crosswind. When I tried to correct back the other way I put the aircraft into a pilot induced oscillation. The aircraft departed the runway and crossed a taxiway before I regained directional control and brought the aircraft to a stop in the grass. There were no injuries or damage to the aircraft or other property.
DC-3 flight crew reported a runway excursion resulted from loss of directional control on the takeoff roll.