What happened
The accident occurred during a night flight approximately 19 miles northwest of Greensboro, North Carolina. At the time of the incident, weather conditions included a broken cloud layer at 7,000 feet, visibility of 15 statute miles, and a wind from 200 degrees at 7 knots. The temperature was 74 degrees Fahrenheit with a dew point of 70 degrees, and the altimeter setting was 30.03 inches of mercury.
The aircraft had been loaded to its maximum or near-maximum gross weight limit. During the takeoff roll on a 3,000-foot runway, the engine began to cough after the aircraft accelerated to approximately rotation speed, roughly three-quarters of the way down the pavement. The pilot elected to abort the takeoff but was unable to stop within the remaining distance.
After coming to a halt, the aircraft descended an embankment, resulting in the collapse of the nose gear. Skid marks were observed on the last 500 feet of the runway and across 250 feet of sod before the aircraft left the paved surface. According to the aircraft operator's manual, 840 feet of paved runway would have been required to stop safely.
The investigation
A physical examination and operational check of the engine revealed no pre-accident part failure or mechanical malfunction, with the exception of a rich idle mixture setting.