Narrative:

While en route eastward through the cascade mountains at white pass I experienced intermittent radio failure. This failure necessitated that I change my planned fuel stop yakima (a tower controller airport) to ellensburg (an uncontrolled field). It was discovered upon landing that the wind was very strong, 20-25 KTS straight down the runway. After refueling and working on the radio I proceeded to taxi. Upon emerging from the protection of some hangars it was discovered that the wind must have increased somewhat. The wind was causing the aircraft stall warning horn to sound. The wings were rocking and the aircraft was skipping from slow taxi attempting to fly. This aircraft is a taildragger and I was unable to maneuver the aircraft on the taxiway perpendicular to the runway for fear of tipping over due to the wind gust. Therefore, after observing no traffic in the pattern nor being in conflict with any aircraft on the ground I proceeded into the wind. Thus for safety reasons and judging there would be no danger to air or ground traffic I took off on the taxiway parallel to the runway. I was airborne in about 150 ft! Maintaining this parallel course several hundred ft from the runway I executed a standard left downwind departure. At no time did this action endanger anyone on the ground or cause any disruption to air traffic. I am confident that under the circumstances the action taken was the most safe and prudent that could have been taken.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WITH STRONG WIND AND GUSTS ATTEMPTING TO LIFT HIS TAIL DRAGGER TYPE ACFT, PLT ELECTED TO TKOF ON TAXIWAY AT UNCONTROLLED ARPT RATHER THAN RISK GETTING XWIND TO TAXI TO THE RWY.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE EASTWARD THROUGH THE CASCADE MOUNTAINS AT WHITE PASS I EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT RADIO FAILURE. THIS FAILURE NECESSITATED THAT I CHANGE MY PLANNED FUEL STOP YAKIMA (A TWR CTLR ARPT) TO ELLENSBURG (AN UNCONTROLLED FIELD). IT WAS DISCOVERED UPON LNDG THAT THE WIND WAS VERY STRONG, 20-25 KTS STRAIGHT DOWN THE RWY. AFTER REFUELING AND WORKING ON THE RADIO I PROCEEDED TO TAXI. UPON EMERGING FROM THE PROTECTION OF SOME HANGARS IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE WIND MUST HAVE INCREASED SOMEWHAT. THE WIND WAS CAUSING THE ACFT STALL WARNING HORN TO SOUND. THE WINGS WERE ROCKING AND THE ACFT WAS SKIPPING FROM SLOW TAXI ATTEMPTING TO FLY. THIS ACFT IS A TAILDRAGGER AND I WAS UNABLE TO MANEUVER THE ACFT ON THE TAXIWAY PERPENDICULAR TO THE RWY FOR FEAR OF TIPPING OVER DUE TO THE WIND GUST. THEREFORE, AFTER OBSERVING NO TFC IN THE PATTERN NOR BEING IN CONFLICT WITH ANY ACFT ON THE GND I PROCEEDED INTO THE WIND. THUS FOR SAFETY REASONS AND JUDGING THERE WOULD BE NO DANGER TO AIR OR GND TFC I TOOK OFF ON THE TAXIWAY PARALLEL TO THE RWY. I WAS AIRBORNE IN ABOUT 150 FT! MAINTAINING THIS PARALLEL COURSE SEVERAL HUNDRED FT FROM THE RWY I EXECUTED A STANDARD L DOWNWIND DEP. AT NO TIME DID THIS ACTION ENDANGER ANYONE ON THE GND OR CAUSE ANY DISRUPTION TO AIR TFC. I AM CONFIDENT THAT UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES THE ACTION TAKEN WAS THE MOST SAFE AND PRUDENT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.