On June 28, about 2000 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-161, was destroyed as it collided with a fence during an aborted takeoff at the Block Island State Airport (BID), Block Island, Rhode Island. The certificated private pilot and one passenger were uninjured. A second passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The private pilot reported that he had departed Sikorsky Memorial Airport (BDR), Bridgeport, Connecticut, with full tanks, and after landing at BID, did not receive any services. After completing all pre-flight and pre-takeoff items on the checklist, the pilot elected to perform a no flap takeoff. The pilot stated that the airplane accelerated to 65 knots and “I pulled back on the yoke and the plane wouldn’t take off.” The pilot aborted the takeoff by “pulling the throttle to the closed position and simultaneously applying the brakes.” The airplane rolled off the departure end of the runway, down an embankment, and struck a chain link fence where it came to rest in an upright position.
A Federal Aviation Administration Inspector and a Rhode Island Airports Corporation Inspector examined the wreckage on June 29. They reported that faint traces of rubber were found on the runway that corresponded to the wheel marks in the grass which lead to the airplane. The marks in the grass did not show signs of tearing or furrowing consistent with heavy breaking or skidding of tires. No malfunction anomalies were found with the airframe or the engine. The right wing was separated from the fuselage at the forward attaching point with the main wing spar cracked, but was still attached. The right wing fuel tank was compromised, and the left wing fuel tank appeared to be full.
Further examination of the flight controls revealed that the elevator trim indicator was set in approximately a 3/4 nose down position.
The Piper Pilot Operating Handbook indicated that a normal take-off elevator trim would be neutral or slightly aft of neutral (nose up) setting.
Each and everyday we are pressed with decisions to make, with flying the decision making never stops.
Our Rhode Island pilot was faced with a decision to make, should he make a short field takeoff? He took off from Bridgeport Connecticut with full fuel and two other passengers with apparently no problem, considering their shortest runway is 4,677 feet you can imagine he used some runway but no real problems.
Yet after burning some fuel he landed at Block Island who’s only runway is 2,502 feet with the cold atlantic ocean on either end.
This pilots first bad decision came about when he or she either didn’t read or didn’t completely follow the checklist prior to takeoff. On just about any GA aircraft it asks that you put the trim to neutral or takeoff position. The accident inspector reported that the trim was found 3/4 nose down. Not exactly advantageous when you’re heavy and there’s a small amount of runway in front of you.
Next the pilot elected to not perform a short field takeoff. Looking at my Piper Warrior POH it shows performance for a normal takeoff (0 degrees of flaps) and a short field (25 degrees of flaps) or two whole notched of flaps! Estimating standard temperature, pressure, no wind, and max weight. I came up with the pilot only requiring 1600 feet of runway. However under the same conditions with no flaps (how our pilot took off) I came up with him needing 2100 feet of runway, that leaves just 402 feet over the cowling, just enough to make anyone nervous.
Our pilots decision to not make a short field takeoff lead him to make one decision he wasn’t prepared for, the takeoff abort. I always tell my students if we’re not off by taxi way Charlie we’ll abort the takeoff. This is done through proper planning on the ground. We don’t have a V1 speed like the fancy jets we see everyday. (V1 is the speed at which beyond it an abort is deemed unsafe and you takeoff regardless of the circumstances) So as pilot’s it is crucial to study airport diagrams of places you will be attending and determine these abort points.
The pilot in this report made a good decision to abort but made it far to late.
Notice how a few small errors and poor decisions lead to one outcome this pilot wasn’t expecting. Accidents will always have a chain of events that lead to the ultimate outcome.
What would you do in a situation like this?
