What happened
During the initial phase of takeoff, the aircraft reached an altitude between 3 and 5 feet above ground level. At this point, the pilot made the decision to abort the takeoff procedure. As the throttle was retarded, the pilot observed that lift actually improved rather than diminished. Consequently, full power was reapplied to the engine.
As the aircraft climbed to approximately 15 feet above ground level, the pilot realized that the trees located at the end of the runway could not be cleared safely. Recognizing the imminent danger, the pilot attempted a second aborted takeoff maneuver. However, the aircraft collided with the trees while still airborne, striking them at a distance of 50 feet from the end of the runway.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical condition of the aircraft and the sequence of events during the takeoff roll. Examination revealed that the aircraft sustained significant damage due to the impact with the trees. No mechanical failures were identified that would have contributed to the inability to clear the obstacle.
Findings
The primary factor in this accident was the pilot's decision-making process during a critical phase of flight. The initial abort was triggered by a perceived need to stop, but the subsequent application of full power after retardation created an unstable flight path. The realization that the runway length was insufficient to clear the trees at 15 feet AGL came too late to avoid collision. The pilot failed to ensure adequate obstacle clearance during the takeoff performance calculation.
Safety message
Pilots must carefully calculate takeoff performance before commencing a roll, ensuring sufficient distance to clear all obstacles at the required altitude. Abort decisions should be made early and decisively; changing power settings after an abort has begun can lead to unpredictable aircraft behavior and loss of control or clearance.