The airport manager said the airplane began its takeoff on the 2500-foot-long Runway 13 from the displaced threshold, which is 400 feet from the approach end of the runway. The pilot said he rotated at 55 knots and the airplane lifted off the runway but would not climb. Almost immediately, the stall warning horn began to sound and he lowered the nose to gain speed. The airplane then settled back onto the runway. The pilot reduced the power and began applying brakes to abort the takeoff. The airplane overran the end of the runway, went down a hillside, and collided with trees about 600 feet from the runway. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures.
April 13, 2008, Gualala, Calif., Cessna 172S
The airport manager said the airplane began its takeoff on the 2500-foot-long Runway 13 from the displaced threshold, which is 400 feet from the approach end of the runway. The pilot said he rotated at 55 knots and the airplane lifted off the runway but would not climb. Almost immediately, the stall warning horn began to sound and he lowered the nose to gain speed. The airplane then settled back onto the runway. The pilot reduced the power and began applying brakes to abort the takeoff. The airplane overran the end of the runway, went down a hillside, and collided with trees about 600 feet from the runway. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures.
Key Takeaways:
- During a takeoff attempt, the airplane lifted off the runway but failed to climb, leading to a stall warning and the aircraft settling back down.
- The pilot aborted the takeoff, but the airplane overran the 2500-foot runway, went down a hillside, and collided with trees approximately 600 feet from the runway end.
- The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures contributing to the incident.
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