Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 140 near Madison, SD — 2018-03-12

Final reportGAA18CA166
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Date
2018-03-12
Location
Madison, SD, USA
Airport
MDS
Aircraft
CESSNA 140
Registration
N2011N
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The flight instructor’s delayed aborted takeoff on a soft, wet, grass runway, which resulted in a runway overrun.

NTSB narrative

The flight instructor, acting as a safety pilot, in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, to expedite takeoff, he decided to take off from the grass runway instead of the concrete runway. He added that, about midway into the soft-field takeoff roll, he observed that the airplane was "struggling to build airspeed." He added that the runway had previously thawed and was "wet spongy sod." He reduced power and began to apply the brakes to abort the takeoff, but the airplane overran the runway, impacted a snow bank, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 1 docket document
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Docket documents1

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