N1608R

Substantial
None

GRUMMAN AMERICAN AVN. CORP. AA-1BS/N: AA1B-0608

Accident Details

Date
Thursday, May 31, 2012
NTSB Number
ERA12CA377
Location
Lawrence, MA
Event ID
20120531X13740
Coordinates
42.717498, -71.128051
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's delayed decision to abort the takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N1608R
Make
GRUMMAN AMERICAN AVN. CORP.
Serial Number
AA1B-0608
Engine Type
Turbo-shaft
Year Built
1976
Model / ICAO
AA-1BV1
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Multi Engine
No. of Engines
2

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
SALE REPORTED
Address
NONE
Status
Deregistered
City
OKLAHOMA CITY
State / Zip Code
OK 73125
Country
United States

Analysis

After flying for about 40 minutes without incident, the pilot returned to the departure airport to practice touch-and-go landings and takeoffs. The pilot stated that she landed on the 3,900-foot-long runway, as she normally did for a full-stop landing. She retracted the flaps, adjusted the trim, and advanced the throttle. As the airplane lifted off the ground, she became concerned that it was too far down the runway, and too low above the ground, to clear trees that were located beyond the departure end of the runway. She elected to abort the takeoff, and was not able to stop the airplane on the remaining runway. The airplane departed the end of the runway, rolled through grass, down an embankment, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its empennage. The pilot reported that she did not experience any mechanical malfunctions or failures during the accident. She further stated in retrospect, that she may taken too much time to transition the airplane for takeoff after landing, and also felt that if she had committed to the takeoff, the airplane would have adequately cleared the trees.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA12CA377