N7553E

On December 30, 1993, at 1230 hours Pacific standard time, a Cessna 172N, N7553E, collided with the airport perimeter fence and a tree after experiencing an on-round loss of control during an aborted takeoff from runway 19 at the El Monte Airport, El Monte, California. The certificated private pilot was practicing touch-and-go landings at the time. The airplane, operated by Aero Association of CalTech, Inc., Pasadena, California, was substantially damaged. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The winds were reported calm.

The pilot indicated that he had landed, configured the airplane for takeoff while rolling, and added full power. The pilot stated the airplane's acceleration appeared slow and did not reach the fifty-seven (57) knots rotation speed as anticipated. The pilot decided to abort the takeoff at a predetermined GO/NO-GO point located about 1,000 feet from the runway's departure end.

When the pilot applied the airplane's brakes, the airplane swerved to the left and entered a newly resurfaced taxiway. The airplane slid off the taxiway's left shoulder adjacent to the runway's departure end and struck the fence and tree.

According to the pilot, the left main landing gear tire left solid skid marks on the runway and the right main landing gear tire left intermittent skid marks.

Witnesses told National Transportation Safety Board investigators they heard the airplane accelerating after hearing the tires begin to squeal during brake application. The witnesses also said the pilot did not fully close the throttle until the airplane was about 150 feet from the departure end of runway 19.