On February 9, 1982, a Cessna 310R (registration N69DH) operated by Harshbarger Contruction was involved in an aviation accident near Carlsbad, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inability to stop the aircraft on the remaining runway after aborting takeoff, which resulted in the aircraft leaving the paved surface and sustaining damage. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot aborted takeoff after noticing an open passenger door, but failed to stop on the remaining runway. The aircraft left the pavement and descended an embankment, sustaining significant damage.
What happened
During the initial phase of the takeoff roll, the pilot observed that the passenger door had not been properly secured. Attempting to rectify the situation, the pilot tried to close the door but was unsuccessful. Consequently, the decision was made to abort the takeoff immediately.
Despite the early initiation of the stop, the pilot was unable to bring the aircraft to a halt within the remaining runway length. The aircraft continued past the end of the paved surface and descended down an embankment. Upon impact with the terrain, the left gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing and propeller.
The investigation
The examination of the accident site revealed that the primary mechanical failure involved the landing gear structure on the left side. The left wing and propeller were damaged due to the force of the impact with the embankment after leaving the runway environment.
Probable cause
The pilot's inability to stop the aircraft on the remaining runway after aborting takeoff, which resulted in the aircraft leaving the paved surface and sustaining damage.