Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 172S near Linden, NJ — 2015-07-19

Final reportERA15LA274
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Date
2015-07-19
Location
Linden, NJ, USA
Airport
LDJ
Aircraft
CESSNA 172S
Registration
N962SP
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The pilot’s delayed decision to reject the takeoff, which resulted in a runway overrun. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to properly configure the flaps for maximum takeoff performance with the airplane near its maximum gross weight.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that the airplane felt "heavy" during liftoff from the 4,140-ft-long asphalt runway with the airplane near its maximum gross weight. He then attempted to reject the takeoff and land on the runway; however, the airplane bounced two or three times and then departed the runway, struck a fence about 600 ft beyond the runway end, and then came to rest upright. The pilot also reported that the flaps were retracted during the takeoff attempt and that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Review of a takeoff distance chart for the make and model airplane revealed that, at maximum gross weight and with the atmospheric conditions that existed at the time of the accident, the airplane would have required a ground roll of 1,945 ft to clear a 50-ft obstacle. However, the calculations assumed a flap setting of 10 degrees and calm wind. Given that the airplane took off with an approximate 8-knot headwind, its performance would have been better than calculated. Therefore, it's likely that the airplane would have had sufficient runway to successfully depart the 4,140-ft-long runway with or without the 10-degree flap extension. The pilot's failure to use the flaps combined with the airplane being near its maximum gross weight likely resulted in the airplane feeling "heavy" to the pilot and led to his decision to reject the takeoff.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot should have aborted takeoff earlier when the airplane felt heavy.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 6 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents6

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