What happened
The accident occurred during the takeoff climb phase at a small airfield characterized by a short, unpaved runway. The pilot, identified as a student pilot visiting the location for practice maneuvers, was operating a Cessna 152. The runway surface consisted of sod and measured approximately 1,300 feet in length.
During the takeoff roll and initial climb, the aircraft failed to clear the obstacles at the end of the runway. The Cessna 152 subsequently collided with a fence and a powerline. The specific registration of the aircraft is not provided in the source material.
The investigation
Analysis of the accident focused on the performance capabilities of the aircraft relative to the environmental conditions at the time of the event. Standard takeoff performance data for the Cessna 152 indicates that it requires 1,340 feet of runway distance to clear a 50-foot obstacle under standard day conditions on a surfaced runway.
However, the weather conditions on the day of the accident were above standard temperature. This deviation from standard atmospheric conditions significantly increased the required takeoff distance and decreased the aircraft's climb performance. The combination of the shortened sod runway and the degraded performance due to heat resulted in the inability to clear the obstacles.
Findings
The primary factors contributing to the accident included the insufficient runway length for the prevailing weather conditions and the resulting loss of climb performance. The sod surface likely contributed to the takeoff distance requirements, while the above-standard temperature further reduced the aircraft's ability to gain altitude rapidly enough to clear the fence and powerline.
Safety message
Pilots operating from short, unpaved runways must carefully calculate takeoff performance based on actual weather conditions. Standard performance charts may not provide sufficient margin when temperatures are above standard, particularly in light aircraft with limited climb gradients.