Pilot Debrief

BELLANCA 7ECA near Oak Ridge, LA — 2016-07-04

Final reportCEN16LA250
Sign in to save
Date
2016-07-04
Location
Oak Ridge, LA, USA
Airport
01LA
Aircraft
BELLANCA 7ECA
Registration
N87083
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during the aborted takeoff, which resulted in it becoming airborne momentarily and then over running the runway.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot reported that, during the attempted takeoff from the turf airstrip, the airplane was not at the expected airspeed three-quarters of the way down the runway, and he decided to abort the takeoff. The airplane became airborne momentarily as the pilot applied brakes and aft control input. Once the airplane settled, he was unable to stop it before it overran the end of the runway, and the airplane then impacted two ditches, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The pilot was departing with a left crosswind and during high density altitude conditions. It is likely that the density altitude coupled with the turf runway increased the distance required to attain the necessary speed for takeoff. Further, the slight balloon of the airplane as the pilot tried to stop it increased the required distance to stop the airplane, and insufficient runway was remaining to stop the airplane.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted takeoff earlier when speed was insufficient.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 2 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents2

Related mishaps